Gin's Dreams
by Potter25
Summary: Ginny's having weird dreams, What happens when those dreams start to come true? And who's there for her the whole time? Please READ&REVIEW!! I OWN NOTHING, ONLY THE PLOT! Under Massive Revision! I hope it's better than the fist version!! ENJOY!!!!!
1. What's Wrong with Ginny?

Chapter 1: What's Wrong with Ginny?  
  
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Ginny sighed heavily, rolling off her bed. She stood up and glanced out the window, scowling at the rising sun with bitterness. She wished that the endless nightmares would stop tormenting her.  
  
She walked over to her mirror, and stared at her pale appearance. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, and her usually vibrant red hair was limp and dark, falling flatly against her heart-shaped face. She had lost a lot of weight, though only she seemed to notice that her pants were now hanging on her unfashionably, and her shirts were getting too big, yet the very thought of food sent her stomach churning.  
  
Maybe that was the first problem? She mused.  
  
She let out a long slow breath before leaving her dresser, thoroughly disgusted with herself.  
  
She picked her journal up from her nightstand, and walked towards her door, after throwing on an old pair of Muggle jeans and a T-shirt. She pulled the door open with effort, using all the energy she had.  
  
Ever since her dreams had begun, when she woke, she wrote the dream down in her journal. She'd always thought that written words described something better than talking ever could.  
  
She sighed and walked heavily down the stairs to face her family. She seriously hoped that her family didn't realize her dilemma. When she entered the small, but comfortable kitchen, she noticed that she was the last one up. All of the Weasleys looked up at her.  
  
" Ginny honey, are you all right? You're so pale!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, rushing over to feel her daughter's forehead, while carrying a pan full of bacon in her free hand.  
  
" Mum! I'm fine. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night, that's all." Ginny said, pushing her mother's hand away from her head.  
  
Mrs. Weasley gave her a hurt look. " Are you sure you're ok?" She asked, her eyebrows coming together in worry.  
  
Ron gave his sister a funny look, before returning to his breakfast; his fear of food being wasted outweighing his sister's appearance.  
  
" Why didn't you sleep well last night? Is it because Harry's coming today?" Fred asked. He sat across from Ron, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.  
  
Ron's head popped up again, and he smiled over at Ginny.  
  
Ginny didn't appreciate being teased by her brothers about something that she had got over two years before. She'd come to realize in her fourth year that Harry was just Harry. He was no longer the famous Harry Potter, but just Harry, the scared, and very human boy.  
  
They'd finally been able to become good friends after that. Because she had got over her silly little crush, she didn't blush to the tips of her hair anymore, and she didn't slip her elbow into the butter dish anymore.  
  
She admitted though there were sometimes when she would catch him doing something so extremely cute and thoughtful, and would be attracted to him for it. But when that happened, she would just recite, 'He was Ron's friend, and will never like you that way' to herself.  
  
She mentally slapped herself for thinking that he was ever extremely cute and thoughtful.  
  
" OHHH that must be it, Fred! Look at her face!" George joked. Fred and Ron chuckled into their cereal.  
  
" Whoa Gin, What you got there?" Fred asked pointing to her right hand. She glanced down.  
  
Her journal!  
  
Her face grew even redder, as all eyes turned on her. She began to panic, sweat forming on the inside of her palms. She instantly hid the journal behind her back, clutching it tightly.  
  
" Wait, let me guess," Fred said waving his hands above his head. " Is it a scrap book of Harry? Pictures dating back from the first time you laid eyes on him until now?" Fred attempted to bat his eyelashes.  
  
Ron and George burst into laughter.  
  
Ginny's face grew even redder if that was at all possible, but not from embarrassment. She was angry now. How dare them!  
  
" Look! I'm not in the mood to be teased about something that I couldn't control three years ago!" She turned her head to face Ron, now bringing her journal in front of her, and hugging the leather tightly to her chest. " And you of all people know that I don't like him anymore, but that doesn't stop you from teasing me. I truly can't take it anymore!" She shrieked the last part, with a wave of her hand.  
  
"Jeez. Sorry Gin, didn't mean to offend. No more light-hearted jokes from now on," Fred said hunching over his bowl of Quidditch Crisps. " Someone's got her panties in a twist," He muttered under his breath. Ginny didn't have to strain to hear the tone of mockery in his fluid voice.  
  
She gaped at her brother, open-mouthed. They just didn't understand! Did her brothers actually care about her, or was it just her parents' influence? Come to think of it, no one really cared for her. Well except maybe Colin.  
  
Ever since the Chamber of Secrets incident in the first year, people tended to shun her, unsure of what she could do.  
  
Except Colin. He'd befriended her, and they had become very good friends.  
  
Colin! That was it! The ghost of an eerie smile lifted the corners of her mouth.  
  
He only lived a couple of miles away. Maybe she could go to his house for a week or two, to clear her jumble of thoughts. I wouldn't have to see Harry and Hermione either, she thought. That would make it easier on her to clear her thoughts, instead of trying to explain herself to Ron's friends. Maybe if I leave soon, I can come back in two weeks when they go to Diagon Alley.  
  
" Gin? Are you going to have some breakfast?" Her mother's words broke though her train of thought.  
  
It took Ginny a minute to collect herself again, before turning to her mother.  
  
" No, I don't think so, Mum. I'm not really that hungry. I'm just gonna go outside."  
  
" Nonsense, you have to eat something dear. Are you sure you feel well?" Mrs. Weasley asked, with concern lining her face.  
  
" Yes Mum I'm fine, and I really don't want anything to eat. I'll have something later." That was a lie; she couldn't even think about eating.  
  
" Ginny," a deep voice from the living room said. " You are all skin and bones. Your face looks like it's caving in. You will eat something!"  
  
Ginny didn't know what came over her, but she didn't appreciate being bossed around by Percy. She felt her blood begin to boil, She tried to hold her over-excited tongue, but when her tongue wanted to be heard, it seemed to make sure that it was.  
  
" Percy, is it really your business?" Ginny burst out forcefully.  
  
All the present Weasley's looked up at Ginny in amazement. Percy looked stricken, and backed off. Ginny had never spoken to him like that; she'd always looked up to him. "Why aren't you at the Ministry anyway?" Ginny said though gritted teeth.  
  
" Ginny are you sure nothings bothering you?" Her mother's worried voice piped up from where she was standing.  
  
Well so much for them not noticing anything! she thought bitterly to herself, clutching the sweaty leather binding of her journal, afraid that she'd drop it or someone would demand to see its contents.  
  
" Yes, Mum, I'm perfectly fine." She swiftly turned from the questioning eyes of her family and made for the back door before anyone could get a word in.  
  
The remaining occupants of the room winced as the metal of the old door slammed back into place behind the steaming redhead.  
  
Ginny couldn't help herself. She stood outside of the kitchen window; she peeked through the glass, and watched her family. They must think she's crazy.  
  
Ron sat staring at the empty space that his sister had just vacated. Something was definitely not right. She'd gotten so thin, and she had dark circles under her eyes, that he hadn't noticed until now. She never seemed to be her happy, joking self anymore, and that frightened him.  
  
The rest of the Weasleys must have been on the same train of thought. Fred and George looked up at their mother.  
  
" Mum I think something's not right with Ginny. She's not been herself lately," Fred said, with abnormal seriousness.  
  
Ginny instinctively stepped closer to the opened window, straining to hear every word they were saying about her.  
  
" Yea since when doesn't she like Harry?" George asked.  
  
Ron had to smile at the thickness of his brother; people thought he was thick, but that was nothing compared to George.  
  
Outside, Ginny cringed at what she'd over heard George say. She shut her eyes tightly before turning away from the house. She walked over to her favorite willow tree. It's long leaves danced lazily in the light summer breeze. She sat down and drew her legs up, and began to cry. She placed her head between her knees, and let all of the pain her dreams had caused to flow out of her.  
  
Ever since Voldemort had risen back to the height of his power, she'd occasionally had horrifying nightmares, all of them pertaining to the Chamber of Secrets, or the Triwizard Tournament.  
  
But recently, she'd been having only one terrifying, recurring dream. It had got so bad that Ginny hadn't had a good night's sleep in three or four weeks. Every time she attempted to sleep, she would wake up sweating, and shaking violently. It was always a battle, at Hogwarts, between Harry and Voldemort.  
  
It wouldn't end; she never got a moment's peace. She couldn't tell her family, because all they would do was become more worried about her than they already were, and then resort to calling Dumbledore. She certainly couldn't tell Ron. He would get beyond worried, and not let her out of his sight, and she didn't think she could deal with that, physically, or mentally.  
  
Then of course he would get Harry and Hermione involved, and they would take it upon themselves to solve the problem, and risk their lives in the process.  
  
She couldn't have them do that. Especially Harry; the wizarding world needed him, whether he liked to believe it or not, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if he got hurt or worse because of her.  
  
She clutched her journal to her chest and cried, trying to release some of the pain eating away at her. She felt the knot between her shoulders tighten as the tears continuously streamed down her pale face.  
  
The back door of the burrow opened and Ron poked his head out. Ginny's head slowly lifted from her knees to regard her brother.  
  
" Hey Gin, you wanna come with us to pick up Harry and Hermione?" Ron stopped mid-thought as he noticed Ginny's red puffy eyes, and the unmistakable tear tracks standing out on her face. " Gin? What's wrong with you?" he asked with concern, stepping slowly closer.  
  
" Nothing," she lied as she swiped the back of her hand over her swollen eyes. " I'm fine."  
  
" No your not, Do you think I'm stupid?" He said his eyes swimming with something that Ginny translated as hurt. Her heart softened slightly. She knew that he cared for her, of course he did, he was her brother, but she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge it, and talk to him.  
  
Ginny got up and brushed off the seat of her jeans.  
  
" I'm fine," she said softly, not looking at Ron.  
  
" Gin..?"  
  
Ginny sent Ron a glare, warning him not to push it, but knowing that Ron was sometimes so thick he didn't catch on to the initial warning.  
  
" Ginny, look, what's going on?"  
  
" Ron! Look I'm fine, and even if I wasn't it's none of your goddamn business," Ginny growled, getting frustrated. " And don't you dare tell Mum I was crying, I don't need her fussing over me like a mother hen! If you so much as utter one word, I swear I will never speak to you as long as I live!" She prodded a finger into his chest. Ron stepped back, and looked at his baby sister, shocked.  
  
" Ok, now I KNOW something's wrong!" He stepped closer, but she pushed past him hard, with a growl, and ran toward the Burrow.  
  
Ron didn't know what to do, or say, so he said the first thing that came into his head.  
  
" So do you wanna come to pick up Harry and Hermione with us?" Ron shouted after her. She stopped and spun around, fire in her usually warm chocolate brown eyes.  
  
" No, all I'll do is intrude on the famous Hogwarts trio. How could I live with myself?" she said sarcastically.  
  
And with that she spun around and disappeared into the Burrow leaving a thunderstruck Ron in her wake.  
  
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Please Review! 


	2. Picking up Harry and Hermione

I OWN NOTHING!!! REMEMBER TO REVIEW!!!!  
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Chapter 2: Picking up Harry and Hermione  
  
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The doorbell of number 4 Privet Drive rang loudly, shattering Harry's thoughts. He jumped, somewhat startled, and Hedwig hooted loudly from her cage. Harry stood up from his bed and flew to the door.  
  
He jumped down the stairs two at a time, and ran to open the front door.  
  
"Get back, boy!" barked Uncle Vernon, waddling into the room.  
  
Harry stepped aside, rolling his eyes, and stood behind the towering figure of Uncle Vernon.  
  
The door swung open, revealing mops of bright red hair. He figured it was probably Ron, Fred, and George, since he couldn't see the face over the large form of his uncle.  
  
"What do you want?" his uncle growled at the Weasleys.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. If Uncle Vernon was so determined to appear 'normal' then he should learn to show it. Harry decided it was time to turn the tables on his uncle and make him feel as small as he made Harry feel every day.  
  
"Open the door, Uncle Vernon. Making them wait outside is very rude. What would the neighbors think?"  
  
Uncle Vernon grunted angrily and stepped aside. "No funny business now. Just take the boy and leave. We have no use for your lot in this house."  
  
Ron and Fred stepped into the living room and looked at Uncle Vernon with obvious amusement.  
  
"Oh, trust us, we wouldn't want to stay any longer than to rescue Harry from this crap shoot," Fred said in his usual cheery voice. "Go get your trunk and I'll wait in the car." Fred winked at Harry before leaving through the doorway.  
  
"Car?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep, Fred drove." Ron answered with a smirk.  
  
"When did he learn to drive?" Harry asked under his breath with an inquiring eyebrow.  
  
"He asked to learn, claimed he wanted to learn something the Muggle way, and you know Dad, he was ecstatic," Ron answered in a whisper.  
  
"Why don't you drive then?"  
  
Ron shrugged. "Don't have the desire, I prefer Floo." Ron frowned. "Where's your stuff? I wanna get out of here, your Aunt and Uncle aren't the friendliest of folk."  
  
Harry laughed at this. "Just thought that did you? You're catching on quicker these days."  
  
Ron sent Harry a glare, then proceeded to help Harry carry his trunk to the black convertible parked in the driveway.  
  
Fred sat in the front seat, wearing dark shades, blaring Muggle music from the Muggle radio.  
  
Harry smiled at the thought of one of his neighbors looking out their window to see this.  
  
"A convertible? Where did you get a convertible?" he asked with raised eyebrows.  
  
Ron grinned. "Ministry car."  
  
Ron helped Harry shove his trunk in the trunk of the car so there would be room for Hermione, then climbed into the passenger seat while Harry situated himself in the back.  
  
"Muggles have very excellent taste in music! Harry, do you know who sings this?" Fred asked bobbing his head to the music, as he pulled down number four's drive.  
  
"Umm. Yea, I think it's a band called Creed." Harry answered smiling.  
  
"Well, it's bloody brilliant!"  
  
"Yeah, they are a good band."  
  
"Ok, well, onward, we still have to pick up Hermione." He turned in the direction of Hermione's house, and floored it. Harry was practically flung back into the leather of the seat.  
  
"Jesus, Fred!" Harry shrieked from the back. His hand flew up to the back of his head. "I lost my stomach back there somewhere."  
  
"Sorry, mate." Fred chuckled, and slowed down to the speed limit.  
  
"What's the matter Harry? Afraid of a little speed?" Ron smirked.  
  
Harry glared, but then cracked a smile at Ron's teasing tone. "If you must know, yes. I'm not sure I trust a wizard behind the wheel, to be honest," Harry said, crossing his arms across his chest, and watching the trees streak by. They sat with Muggle rock music blaring around them for a few minutes, not talking, just sitting there in comfortable silence. Harry rested his head on the back of the leather seating, and watched the clouds drifting lazily across the sky.  
  
A thought occurred to him.  
  
"Hey Ron, where's Ginny?" He asked as he lifted his head off the back of the seat, he leaned up into the front seat to address Ron. "She told me before school let out at the end of last year that she would write to me, and she never did. I thought she would at least come to see Hermione and me."  
  
Ron frowned and turned around in his seat to look at Harry.  
  
"Well, Harry, something's wrong with Ginny."  
  
Harry's face clouded with confusion. "Care to elaborate? What could have happened in the past two months?" Harry asked.  
  
Ron just shrugged.  
  
The silence lengthened, and Harry guessed that the conversation was closed for discussion. He leaned back into the leather seats.  
  
Harry turned back to watch the houses, lawns, clouds, and cars streak by, lost in thought, beginning to worry about Ginny.  
  
He was kind of hurt that she hadn't come. He didn't want to admit that, but she had turned out to be one of his best friends. After she had stopped being so shy around him, he'd grown to love her company, even want her around him more. And if he allowed himself to admit it, he also thought she was pretty, very pretty.  
  
He felt his cheeks grow hot.  
  
He turned and stared at the scenery. Large white houses with white picket fences streaked past.  
  
A young boy riding a bike passed going the opposite direction, on the vacant sidewalk. The sun was shining in full intensity, and Harry was grateful for the wind blowing though his hair, keeping him cool.  
  
The car pulled into a long driveway of a large white house, like all the white houses in the neighborhood.  
  
The front garden held all kinds of pretty flowers. Harry just assumed that Mrs. Granger must be a gardener.  
  
Ron and Harry got out of the car, leaving Fred in the front seat with the radio, and walked up the driveway to retrieve their other best friend. Ron rang the doorbell, and a petite girl with big brown eyes, and smooth hair pulled back into a ponytail answered the door.  
  
She looked at them, and her eyes became large.  
  
"Ron! Harry! My goodness, you've grown since I last saw you! Ron, you're a tower!" She pulled him into a hug; her head only reached his chest. He chuckled and hugged her back tightly.  
  
"You look great Herms."  
  
Hermione blushed and turned to hug Harry.  
  
"Herms how'd you get your hair to stay so straight and shiny?" Ron asked when they pulled away.  
  
"Oh I used Sleekeasy's," Hermione said, waving the piece of information away. "Well, come in for a minute while I get my stuff." The boys stepped into the house, as the large oak door closed behind them; they walked into a large foyer.  
  
The walls were a comfortable mushroom color, contrasting nicely with the nice mahogany table in front of them. There was a mirror fixed above it, and a large plant perched over the mirror.  
  
Mrs. Granger bustled into the room, carrying a basket of clean laundry.  
  
"Ahh hello Ron, Harry. How are you?" she asked politely, before placing the basket on the floor.  
  
"Oh, we're just fine, Mrs. Granger," Harry said.  
  
"Well that's good. Do you want something to drink? It's rather hot out there. I can't stand the heat myself, I always need to have a large glass of lemonade ready by my side in this kind of heat," she said with a slight chuckle.  
  
Ron and Harry smiled politely, but declined the drink.  
  
Hermione came bustling back into the room, dragging her trunk and looking around. Ron jumped to help her with her trunk enthusiastically.  
  
"Thanks, Ron." She smiled warmly at him. Harry grinned at his two friends.  
  
Hermione went over to hug her mother goodbye. Then went back to help Harry and Ron carry her trunk out to the car.  
  
When Hermione saw the gleaming car in her driveway, she gasped, and stared at it.  
  
"Ron! A convertible! But how did you get it?" she asked in an awed voice, walking toward the shiny car parked in her driveway.  
  
Ron shrugged, before opening the back door for her. "Ministry car."  
  
She slid all the way over to make room for Ron. Ron sat down next to her, so Harry was forced to sit in the front with Fred.  
  
When he sat down, Fred raised his eyebrows, and Harry grinned.  
  
"Hey wait a minute! Where's Ginny? Why didn't she come?" Hermione's voice seemed to echo in the car. During Hermione's fourth year, her and Ginny had become friends, and every since, Hermione had been like a big sister to her.  
  
"She didn't want to come," Ron said quietly, scratching his ear nervously.  
  
"Why? What's the matter?" Hermione asked, somewhat hurt.  
  
"She's not herself." Fred said, starting the engine.  
  
"Yeah she used to be so fun, and used to joke with us and all that. Now she never eats, she's really thin, she gets offended with the littlest things, and she just doesn't seem to care anymore. Oh, and just before we came to pick you guys up today, I went out to ask her if she wanted to come with us, and caught her crying. She said she didn't want to come because she would be intruding with the famous Hogwarts trio. She said it rather rudely, I might add," Ron added in an undertone. "But she won't tell anyone what's wrong."  
  
Harry's concern grew at what Ron was telling Hermione, but he kept quiet.  
  
"I don't know, Herms. Maybe you can talk to her or something. We've got nowhere." Ron indicated himself and Fred.  
  
Her large brown eyes came together in thought and she fell silent. "That's not like Ginny. Well, I hope she opens up soon. She can't last very long without telling someone," Hermione said quietly, worry lacing her usually assured voice.  
  
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	3. Ginny's Flight

CHAPTER 3: Ginny's flight  
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After Ginny's confrontation with Ron, she'd found herself hiding in the garden. She was too afraid to show her face in her house; that they now knew something was wrong with her, and she didn't like feeling helpless.  
  
But she finally decided, after two hours of sitting and feeling sorry for herself, that she needed to go inside.  
  
The sun shone brightly behind her, making her bright red hair glow.  
  
She trudged miserably toward the door to the Burrow and carefully made her way back inside, making sure she was quiet so as not to get caught.  
  
If anyone besides Ron knew that she'd been outside crying and feeling sorry for herself, she'd die of shame. She wanted to be seen as stronger than that. She was terrified of the thought of her whole family confronting her, and demanding to know what the matter was. She just wasn't ready for the horde of questions that she knew her family was dying to ask.  
  
George looked up from his Quidditch magazine, which was lying open on his lap, as she walked into the brightly-lit room. The light from outside streamed into the room, leaving patches of light on the carpeted floor and the couch that he was lounging on.  
  
"Gin? You all right?" he asked with concern.  
  
"Fine," she said gruffly, and disappeared on the stairs, not daring to look behind her.  
  
She shut the door to her room behind her, and flung her tired body on the soft mattress. She stared at the ceiling, making connect the dot patterns with the small ridges in her ceiling.  
  
She didn't think she could handle being around Harry or Hermione at all. She wasn't in the mood to explain herself; she had to get away before they arrived. She only had to leave for a week or two to sort out her thoughts. No one had to find out, no one had to know. It was simple.  
  
She just needed to think of a good strategy to hide it.  
  
She remembered her original thought about running to Colin's house. The idea seemed more perfect than ever before, and stood out like a beacon of hope in her mind.  
  
She would definitely run to Colin's tonight, before Harry or Hermione came. It seemed to be the only solution to her ever-growing problem.  
  
She wasn't sure if she should be happy or relieved by her train of thought. She felt neither; all she felt was sadness. The late afternoon light streamed in between her curtains, providing a strange contrast to her gloomy mood. She soon found herself drifting off into the familiar fitful sleep.  
  
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The Great Hall was cramped with students all filling their stomachs with some of the delicious foods Hogwarts had to offer for dinner.  
  
Ginny stared around. She sat between Colin and Harry, but she couldn't figure out how she got there. She saw their mouths moving, but she couldn't figure out what they were saying.  
  
The room dropped many degrees. All the windows around the Great Hall shattered inwards towards the students.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and glanced around the room, until his piercing blue eyes came into contact with Harry. For the first time in Ginny's life, she noticed that they held none of the sparkle that she was so used to seeing in the Headmaster. This frightened her; it was unnatural.  
  
Harry stood like a bullet being fired from a Muggle gun, and stood rigid and scared. Without warning he grabbed Ginny's arm roughly, and hauled her under the table. He was shouting something to her, but she couldn't make it out. She shook her head, trying to indicate that she didn't know what he was saying. Ron shoved Hermione under the table next to her with difficulty. Hermione tried to stay and fight, but Ron wouldn't have it.  
  
Suddenly a high, cold, cruel voice echoed through the hall, and the students went up in panic. She soon found herself being embraced tightly by Harry.  
  
He was muttering something in her ear, but she couldn't hear a thing. She stamped her foot in protest, clutching onto his robes, trying to keep him from going anywhere. She was frustrated with not knowing what he was telling her. Harry finally stood up, and Ginny opened her mouth to shout, even though she couldn't make out what she was saying.  
  
Voldemort grinned evilly at Harry, and spoke to him, Ginny strained to hear just one word but it was no use. The tablecloth that was surrounding her blocked her from view. Voldemort raised his wand and suddenly the tablecloth, the only protection that was concealing Hermione and her, was ripped from the table, and Ginny opened her mouth in shock.  
  
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Ginny sat bolt upright, sweating. It wasn't real! It wasn't real! Her mind whirled with what she had seen. She urged her rapidly beating heart to slow down, and reached up and felt hot tears sliding down her pale cheeks. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was already 8:00 PM! How could she have slept so late  
  
She'd been asleep for about 4 hours. That was more than she'd had previous night, but she didn't feel any more refreshed.  
  
As she swung her legs over the side of her bed and moved over to her wardrobe, she tripped over something hard and big in her way. She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from shrieking in pain.  
  
It was Hermione's trunk. She'd forgotten that they would of course be here by now. Maybe if she hurried, she wouldn't have to see them until school started.  
  
She looked in the mirror, and pulled her long fiery red hair into a messy ponytail. She picked up her wand that lay forgotten on her trunk next to her mirror, and muttered a quick packing charm. Her trunk immediately filled with the essential items. She quickly charmed her trunk to be feather light, so she wouldn't have any problems. She sat down at her desk, and lit her wand. She grabbed a quill from the cup on her desk, and began her explanation.  
  
Dear Family,  
  
I'm really sorry, but I have to leave. Please don't cry, Mum, I'm not leaving for good. I just need time to myself to think. There are too many people in this house for anyone to sort out their thoughts. I'm not going to tell you where I'm going, so you can't track me down, but I will tell you that I'll be fine, and safe. I should be back before we go to Diagon Alley in two weeks, so no worries about school. I truly am sorry that I'm doing this to all of you, but if I didn't I think that I may just go insane.  
  
Much love, Ginny  
  
She placed the quill back in the container on her desk, and stood up. She pulled on a simple black robe to block the summer chill, and grabbed her Comet 360 from the corner near her bookshelf, and grabbed onto her trunk. It hovered a foot off the ground, level with her broom.  
  
She hastily walked over to the window, and flung it open with ease. She jumped onto her broom, and kicked off the carpeting. Her curtains flapping lazily in the evening breeze.  
  
She grinned as the cool night air touched her burning skin; she was finally free, escaped from her shackles, at least for a few days. She put on a burst of speed, and soon she had disappeared, away from the Burrow.  
  
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	4. Couldn't Hurt to Try

Chapter 4: Couldn't hurt to try.  
  
~I OWN NOTHING!~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Where's your sister, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she walked into the living room later that night. "Has she come down at all today?"  
  
"She's asleep, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione answered with a warm smile, glancing up from her thick book.  
  
"Dear me, do you think everything's all right with her?" Mrs. Weasley's eyes shone with unshed tears. She wrung her hands nervously on her worn out summer dress. "That girl has me all worried. You don't think she's in trouble, do you?"  
  
"To be honest, Mum, we all know something's wrong, but she won't talk," Ron said without looking up from the chessboard that he and Harry were playing from.  
  
Mrs. Weasley let out a small, depressed sigh, and turned back into the kitchen.  
  
Harry glanced up with a sad expression at Ron, who had finally glanced up and was staring at where his mother had been a moment ago.  
  
"I think we should try to talk to Ginny," Hermione said quietly closing her book and placing it gently on the coffee table. "Whatever has her acting like this must be something serious," she added sadly, as she slowly stood up.  
  
Harry nodded in full agreement.  
  
Ron glanced down at the blue carpeting of the living room. "Yeah, I guess," he said raising his shoulders in a shrug. "If she'll listen to us."  
  
"You don't think she will?" Harry asked, standing up.  
  
"I don't know, if there's one way to describe Ginny, she's proud and independent. She won't take to kindly to us interfering."  
  
Hermione tutted disapprovingly. "Yes, well, what if this is really serious? Would you prefer to protect your sister's pride or do something to protect her?"  
  
"Well, when you put it that way..." Ron stood up slowly, abandoning the chess game that was laid out on the table. He turned to the stairs. "I'll try to get her to talk."  
  
Hermione nodded her approval and followed Ron up the stairs, with Harry lagging behind.  
  
They climbed the stairs to the third floor where Ginny's room was located, and knocked twice.  
  
"Gin?" Hermione asked though the thick wooden door. There was no reply.  
  
"Ginny, are you up yet?" Ron called with a note of worry in his voice. There was no reply. He pushed the door open, and stepped into the darkened room.  
  
The window was wide open, letting a nice summer breeze in the room, but Ginny wasn't there.  
  
"Ginny?" Ron asked quietly, stepping into the dark room.  
  
"She was in here when I brought my trunk up," Hermione said.  
  
"Well she isn't here now, is she?" Ron snapped.  
  
Hermione's eyes flared. "Don't take your frustrations out on me, Ron Weasley!"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth to retort, but Harry stepped in right on time. "Come on, not now."  
  
The two instantly shut their mouths, and shrugged sheepishly at each other.  
  
Harry walked past Ron and wandered toward the open windows. The curtains flapped wildly around him as he stuck his raven-colored head out into the penetrating darkness. His eyes scanned the grounds below Ginny's window, but he could see nothing. The night was silent and dark. All he could hear was the quiet howl of wind, and the rustling of the leaves dancing in the tall trees.  
  
"Gin?" Harry called into the dense darkness. An ominous feeling coiled around his insides like black bile, and he hesitantly brought his head back into the room, a frown playing on his lips.  
  
He straightened up from the window, and turned to Ron and Hermione. What he saw made him stop in his tracks, the forming lump in his throat tightening as he watched the scene unfolding before him. He began to feel another knot tie painfully in his chest.  
  
Ron stood before her desk. He held a piece of parchment in one hand, as the other came up to run through his unusually messy red hair. Hermione walked over cautiously from the other side of the room, and studied Ron's movements. Harry just remained rooted to the spot for a moment, knowing that the situation had just got serious.  
  
Hermione placed a comforting hand on Ron's shoulder, as he dropped the letter, which fluttered to the fluffy carpet. He sat down slowly on her bed, and placed his head in his hands, tufts of bright red hair protruding from between his fingers as he clenched and unclenched his hair.  
  
Harry forced himself to move, coming over to pick up the letter. He read it over and over, his eyes widening in alarm at just what he was reading. He felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. It terrified him that one of his friends was in so much trouble they couldn't talk to him.  
  
Hermione slowly came from comforting Ron, and stood behind Harry, reading over his shoulder. She sucked in a breath, and ran her own hand nervously through her hair in unconscious imitation of Ron, who at the moment, seemed to be fighting an internal battle, before he finally burst.  
  
"I should have done something! Tried harder to get her to open up to me, and now, we've run her away!"  
  
Harry and Hermione turned abruptly to their friend. "Ron." Harry said quietly, holding up the letter. He couldn't seem to get any other words out. He swallowed deeply, but the lump only seemed to grow.  
  
He dropped his hand with the parchment in it, and brought the other one up to his messy hair, making it even messier than usual.  
  
" Ron, we.we...need to tell...your family," Hermione managed.  
  
He nodded, and lifted his pale face from his hand.  
  
He slowly got up and made toward Ginny's door. Hermione met him halfway, and caught him by slipping her hand into his. Harry saw her hand tremble, as Ron's hand tightened over it.  
  
"I'm sure you did the best you could to get her to talk to you. Don't worry, we'll get her back." Hermione whispered.  
  
"Thanks, Hermione," Ron said quietly.  
  
Harry handed him the letter, knowing that Ron had to somehow break this news to his family.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They walked down the hall slowly. How is Ron going to break this? What will Mrs. Weasley say? She'll absolutely go insane.  
  
Hermione walked beside Ron, keeping a firm grip on his arm. Harry brought up the rear, his head hanging lost in thought. He wondered what could have been bothering her so much to have run away. He wondered if there was anything that he could have done to prevent this. If he had just known sooner, or tried to talk to her earlier, could this all have been prevented?  
  
One thing was for sure though, they had to find her, but how? She hadn't told them where she was going. Of course, she said she'd be back before they went to Diagon Alley, so she didn't want to leave for good  
  
When they entered the living room, Ron stood silent regarding his family with wide eyes. He wrung his hands together. Harry noticed that the note was becoming increasingly rumpled. Hermione noticed his dilemma slightly after Harry had, and grabbed his free hand and gripped it tight.  
  
"Well how is she? What's wrong with her?" George asked.  
  
"Not good, she's run away." The twins just stared at him, and turned pale, as his mother burst into tears. "Don't cry, Mum, please, she's left a note, she said that she's going to come back before we go to Diagon Alley, but she just needs time to think by herself. She says she's perfectly safe."  
  
"I knew something was wrong, but my lord, what could it possibly be?" His mother wailed. Ron stepped up and hugged his mother.  
  
"I'll contact Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Dad," Fred said quietly, as he got up and walked to the fireplace. George reached for the note Ron held out in his hand. He read it and paled even further.  
  
"God, what the hell do you think's bothering her?" George asked, dumbfounded.  
  
Everyone's attention was soon diverted to the fireplace where Arthur Weasley's head popped up in the fire.  
  
"Why is your mother crying?" he asked somewhat panicky.  
  
"Dad, you and Percy should come home now, Ginny's run away," Fred said.  
  
Mr. Weasley paled, and regarded his son.  
  
"She's.She's run.run away?" he asked unable to believe.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh my." His head disappeared from the fire, and a second later, the fire glowed green, and he and Percy stepped out of the fire. They brushed off their robes and looked around the grim room.  
  
"Did she say why?" Mr. Weasley asked.  
  
"She left a note, Dad. All it said was that she needed to sort out her thoughts," Ron said. Hermione never let go of Ron's hand, though no one but Harry noticed.  
  
"Did you contact Bill and Charlie?"  
  
"We are doing it now."  
  
"Ok," Mr. Weasley said as he went across the room to comfort his wife.  
  
George stood up, and walked to his parents. He held out the note that Ginny had left. Mr. Weasley took it, and read it with Mrs. Weasley. "My lord," he muttered quietly.  
  
For the first time Harry could remember, Percy was too shocked to speak.  
  
When everyone was finally present, the entire Weasley family sat in astonished silence. Harry and Hermione offered to make some tea, feeling that this was a family time, and that they shouldn't intrude. They silently stood up, and made their way into the kitchen.  
  
"Goodness, I really want to know what made her leave," Hermione said, as she walked toward the teakettle sitting silently on the oven top.  
  
"Yea, I wonder what's happening to her," Harry said sadly.  
  
Hermione didn't answer; she poured water into the kettle using her wand.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes, while the teakettle heated up.  
  
When it was finally finished, Hermione poured some steaming tea into eight teacups; she placed them all on one of Mrs. Weasley's silver trays and picked it up carrying it into the living room.  
  
Harry followed her into the living room. Hermione set the cups on the center table, while Harry distributed them out to the people talking in the living room.  
  
A thought occurred to Harry, like a ton of bricks. His eyes grew wide, as he grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him into a corner of the room, away from the prying eyes and ears of his family. Hermione watched them with interest, as she handed Mrs. Weasley a cup of tea.  
  
"What?" Ron asked bewildered as he regarded his best friend.  
  
"Hey Ron, who would you say is Ginny's best friends at Hogwarts?" Harry whispered excitedly.  
  
Ron looked at him confused.  
  
"I suppose Colin. Why?"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't you think that she would go to the next available place to hide, being her best friend's house? Don't you see? She's probably at Colin's."  
  
"You think? You think Colin would help her hide out?" Ron asked looking unsure.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to try."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. At Colin's House

I OWN NOTHING!!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 5: At Colin's House  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Ginny arrived near Colin's house later that evening, it was already 10:00pm. She landed just on the outskirts of his town and stopped, dropped her trunk the ground, and stretched out her aching fingers, then pulled open the lid of the trunk and placed her broom delicately inside.  
  
She thanked God it was later, ecstatic that there was less chance of a Muggle seeing her, lugging a heavy-looking trunk in the middle of the night.  
  
She felt bad about coming so late, and Colin not even knowing that she was on her way. She sorely hoped that she would be allowed to stay. She hadn't thought of the possibility that she wouldn't be welcome, even though she should have.  
  
She approached his door and knocked. A few seconds passed before the large oak door swung open, revealing a small boy with mousy-colored hair and brown eyes peering at her through the crack.  
  
"Hello Dennis. Is Colin in?" The small boy regarded her for a moment before swinging the door open wider.  
  
"Why are you here so late, Ginny?" Dennis asked curiously.  
  
"It's a long story. Is Colin here?" she repeated looking over Dennis's shoulder.  
  
"Yea hold on, come in." She stepped into the waiting area, and waited while Dennis ran into the next room. "Colin! You have a visitor."  
  
"What? Who? Hold on a minute." Ginny heard the familiar voice from the next room.  
  
The next minute, Colin walked into the room. His blond hair was sticking up in messy spikes and his pale blue eyes opened wide in astonishment at seeing Ginny in his foyer.  
  
"Gin? What are you doing here?" He walked up to her and gave her a big brotherly hug. "Not that I'm not happy to see you," he whispered. He backed up and regarded her. "Hey, are you okay? You don't look too good, you look kind of pale," he said, his eyes narrowing in concern.  
  
Ginny sighed, "Can I explain tomorrow? Do you think I can stay for a week?"  
  
"What? Why? What's going on?" he asked concerned.  
  
"Look, it's nothing of importance, I just want to clear my thoughts."  
  
"From what? What's wrong at home?"  
  
"Colin! Please, I promise that I'll explain anything I can tomorrow, I'm just really tired right now."  
  
He gave her a penetrating look, before letting out a long breath. "Ok, let my ask my mum, hold on," he said weakly, and turned to walk back into the other room before Ginny shouted back to him.  
  
"WAIT! Tell your mum that my family knows that I'm here. Please Colin! Please. I don't want them coming after me, I need time to sort out my thoughts."  
  
Colin's confusion grew as he looked at the pleading expression on her face.  
  
"Ok Gin, but you're explaining this to me tomorrow, and don't think you're not getting out of it."  
  
"Yea, yea I know," she said weakly.  
  
"Ok hold on," he disappeared.  
  
Ginny waited. The minutes ticked by, and she was almost thinking about turning right around and going back home when Colin came back into the room.  
  
"Mum says you can stay in the guest room. Follow me."  
  
He led her up the winding staircase to the second floor. Ginny got the impression that the Creevey family was well off financially. She would surely be no bother to them for a few weeks; she would stay out of their way.  
  
He stopped outside a door right in front of the stairs, and pushed it open. Ginny gratefully followed Colin into a small guestroom. She took the Feather Light charm off of her trunk and opened it up to pull out a pair of pajamas. She turned back to Colin standing in the doorway watching her curiously.  
  
"Thank you so much Colin, I don't know how to repay you," she smiled at him  
  
He nodded and turned to leave to give her some privacy, "It's no problem, always here to help out a friend in need." He smiled at her before closing the door behind him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later that same night, Colin walked back up the stairs sleepily after finishing the movie he was watching with his brother. He heard a terrified shriek coming from the guestroom, and raced up the rest of the stairs, heart hammering against his ribcage, and threw open the door. Ginny was thrashing around on the bed, obviously in the mist of a nightmare.  
  
He swept across the room and shook her roughly awake. Frightened chocolate eyes met equally frightened pale blue eyes. She was sweating, her eyes shifting frantically around the room, as she panted like she had just finished running a marathon.  
  
"Ginny, my God! Are you all right? You scared the hell out of me. I thought.I thought," Colin stammered.  
  
Colin saw Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair, "I am so sorry, Colin!" He noticed that she was trying to hold in her gut-wrenching sobs, but an indistinguishable noise escaped her throat, and as tears traitorously spilled from her terrified eyes.  
  
Colin looked on in shock. He reached out, and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Gin, don't worry about me, you seem to be the one that's suffering. What's wrong?" Colin asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She sat up and leaned against the headboard taking a deep breath. She let the words spilled from her mouth, somewhat effectively freeing her from the emotional anguish she was currently going through.  
  
She felt like this was all she needed to do; to confide in someone. She left nothing out, the pain, the fear of someone finding out like her brother, Hermione, or worse Harry. She told about how she couldn't live with herself if she caused Harry, Ron and Hermione to risk their lives because of her. To help her, she wanted to be strong, and thought of as able to take care of herself.  
  
Colin listened and didn't interrupt. When she was finished, he sighed sadly.  
  
"I'm glad you told me," he said sitting up straighter. "Although, I don't know how much of a help I will be. You should really consider telling Harry. This sounds like his kind of thing; he'll probably be a lot of help," Colin advised.  
  
Ginny's smile quickly faded.  
  
"I know," she whispered guiltily. "I just.I just don't even know if it's that big of a deal. And if it is, I can't put him in any more danger. He doesn't deserve that."  
  
"I'm sure these dreams aren't a tiny deal, Ginny. If you're being harassed by them, they're getting worse, and they're about Voldemort, I don't think it's a small deal." He gave her a look. "And about not telling Harry, that's just stupid. Yes I understand that you don't want to put him in danger, but God, Ginny, look who you're talking about! Danger is his life. He won't be in any more danger than he already is. Just tell him, you probably won't regret it." Colin smiled at her reassuringly. "And besides, if you don't tell him, he'll find out some other way, and then you'll be worse off because he'll tell Ron and Hermione."  
  
"I know."  
  
"And I think Dumbledore should know."  
  
Ginny sent him a glare.  
  
"At some point," Colin said quickly.  
  
"I know, I just really, really don't want to be the center of attention, with everyone looking at me and watching every five seconds of the day."  
  
"I know, but seriously, tell someone."  
  
"I will."  
  
"Good, because if you don't, I will." This was a lie; he felt that this was something Ginny needed to find the courage to tell on her own. But if he found out that she wasn't even considering it, then he would.  
  
"You wouldn't?" Ginny asked wide-eyed.  
  
"I would," he smirked.  
  
"All right, I'll tell someone."  
  
Colin nodded in approval.  
  
"Good, now I'm going to bed, I'm beat. You going to be all right?" he asked getting up from his position on the end of the bed.  
  
"I'll be fine, I'm sorry I kept you up."  
  
"You didn't. I was downstairs watching a movie, and I was walking up the stairs when I heard you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Night Gin," he said, walking to the door.  
  
"Night Colin."  
  
Soon after Colin closed the door, Ginny fell asleep and for the first time in weeks slept peacefully.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When she woke up, she looked around the room in a panic. She clutched the white sheets around her small body, and stared around the room, until she remembered the previous night, and how she ended up where she was.  
  
She sat in bed for a few minutes, slowly letting her body relax from the initial shock of waking up in an unknown room, until a very familiar voice could be heard nearby on the staircase, a very familiar and unwelcome voice.  
  
"Colin! I know Ginny's here!"  
  
It was Ron.  
  
"She's not here," Colin squeaked nervously.  
  
"I'm not stupid you know. She has to be here, where else would she have run to?" Ron huffed.  
  
"Where's her room?"  
  
That was Harry.  
  
Her eyes grew wide, and her heart slammed against her chest. She leapt from the bed, and flung herself on the floor. She hastily crawled under the bed on all fours, panting for air.  
  
"There is no room, Ginny's not here." Colin's voice was weak and shaky, when addressing Harry.  
  
Don't, Colin! Don't tell Harry where I am! she pleaded in her mind.  
  
She fixed the blanket nervously around the opening, so they blocked her from view, and waited with bated breath as the door swung open a minute later. Ginny tried to keep her breath steady. She was sure that they could hear her rapidly beating heart. She glanced in the direction of the other side of the bed, and gasped in utter terror, she realized that a small section was open, free of blanket, for anyone to see through.  
  
She lay flat on her stomach and prayed they wouldn't think to look under the bed. She could already see them through the small crack of daylight though the blankets.  
  
A pair of Doc Martins entered the room, followed by trainers, and then a pair of strap Mary Janes.  
  
"Where is she?" Ron growled. The trainers turned toward the door, Ron was obviously addressing Colin in the doorway.  
  
"I don't know where she is," Colin said nervously.  
  
Ginny could see his shoes, slowly inching backward out of the spare bedroom.  
  
"Why are you lying?" Harry asked in his normal deep voice.  
  
"I'm not! Harry, would I lie to you?" Colin asked with a nervous chuckle.  
  
The Doc Martins wandered slowly across the room. Harry seemed to be scouring the place. They stopped next to her trunk. She panicked. I left clues! She held her breath.  
  
"I mean this is her trunk is it not? I can hardly bet that you painted little pink flowers on your trunk, and I don't think you have a sister," he said with mock sweetness.  
  
"I.I.er." Colin stammered.  
  
"Aha! As I thought! She is here!" Ron bellowed. "Where is she?"  
  
Ginny pressed her eyes closed, willing them to leave. Dots of perspiration began to form on her face.  
  
She watched Harry's black docs walk toward the closet on the other side of the room away from her hiding place. He pulled open the closet and glanced inside. "She's not in the closet," he said, his voice now carrying a hint of underlying edge.  
  
"If you just tell us where she is, we'll just take her and leave, I promise." Ron said strongly.  
  
Ginny bit her bottom lip. She pinched her eyes shut, praying that this was all just a dream, and she would wake up, safe in bed any minute. But when she opened her eyes, she was horrified to realize that this wasn't some horrible nightmare.  
  
Ginny saw the black Mary Janes come closer to the bed. Ginny sucked in an inaudible breath. Hermione sat down on the bed, and gently began to bounce up and down. Ginny bit her lip. She wouldn't call out! Harry's black docs turned in the direction of the bed, and began to walk briskly over. Ginny bit back a shriek.  
  
Suddenly the blankets were removed, and Harry's grave face came into view. He broke into a lopsided sarcastic grin, and pulled back the covers to put her more in view.  
  
"Hello, Gin. Long time no see, huh?"  
  
Ginny climbed slowly out from under the bed, and looked around the quickly closing in room. Her heart constricted painfully in her chest, as the walls swallowed her up.  
  
The four teens stared at her. She could tell that Ron and Hermione were bursting with unanswered questions. Colin looked at her apologetically, and Ginny wanted to reassure him that nothing was his fault, that he did his best.  
  
Harry grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the door. Hermione got up from the bed, and joined Ron across the room.  
  
"What are you..! Let me go!" Ginny yanked her hand back, her heels planted firmly in the ground. Harry turned to her in astonishment.  
  
"Come on Gin, we are leaving now!" Ron said strongly from where he was standing next to the door, gesturing out into the hallway.  
  
"No, I'm not leaving," Ginny crossed her arms across her chest, and looked defiantly at her brother and his friends, who were also hers, if she would have stopped to consider it.  
  
"We're leaving now, and you're coming with us," Harry said, looking into her eyes.  
  
Ginny's eyes flashed with fire. Oh, so now he's playing big brother?  
  
"Oh, so now we're playing big brother, huh? News flash, Harry: I've already got six, I don't need seven! And if I remember correctly I wrote that I'm not ready to be found yet!" her voice rose an octave.  
  
Ron looked hurt for a moment, before he lost all expressions together, as he watched Harry and Ginny battle it out.  
  
"Ginny, in case you haven't noticed, you're my friend and I care about you! I'm worried about you, just like everyone in your family is, and I think I have a right, as one of your friends to know what's going on! Gin, what's wrong?" Harry shouted.  
  
"Nothing! And don't pretend that you care for one minute, Harry Potter! You..You..aren't my friend, you're just another 'big brother'."  
  
Hurt flashed in Harry's eyes, but Ginny didn't stop to register it. She knew she had hurt him, and she knew that she would probably regret it later, but they were forcing her into insanity. She just wanted to sort out her thoughts, and they weren't letting her.  
  
"Come on Gin, we are leaving NOW!" Ron said forcefully from across the room, watching his sister worriedly.  
  
"You can't make me," she said softly.  
  
"Oh, yes we can!" Ron said his voice rising.  
  
Ginny then bolted past Harry, and Ron, only to have Harry grab her around her waist and pull her to his chest, in an attempt to hold her still. She yelled, and kicked anything she could reach. Oh how she wished it was Harry or Ron's head. She punched the air like a wildcat.  
  
"Let me GO! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" she shrieked. Her face was turning a violent shade of red. She struggled against him with all her might, but he wouldn't budge.  
  
"We'll see you at school, Colin." Ron mumbled. Colin watched Harry's interest in handling Ginny.  
  
Ginny struggled with all her might to be freed, but Harry only tightened his grasp around her waist.  
  
Ron wracked his brains for some type of solution to get his sister to cooperate. He knew that he couldn't use imperious, it was unforgettable curse, and he didn't want to either, he shuddered at the thought. But he did remember a sleeping charm that Hermione had told him about. She had read about it while they studied for O.W.L.s.  
  
His eyes gleamed with something similar to triumph. "Hold her there, Harry."  
  
Ron crossed the room and stood in front of them, he raised his wand Ginny whispering, "Duermia." The red head fell limp in Harry's arms, her arms dangling at his sides. The dead weight startled him, and he tried to regain his balance.  
  
"Jeez, Ron," Harry muttered. He bent over, and put his arm under her knees, and heaved her up. "A little warning next time you decide something like that."  
  
Hermione just gaped at Ron, open mouthed.  
  
"Ron! You're not supposed to use magic outside of school! And don't you think that was a little unfair?"  
  
"No," he said simply, and led the way out of Colin's house. "She'll get over it."  
  
"She didn't even have a fair fight!"  
  
"How else would we get her out of here!" Ron yelled back.  
  
Hermione fell silent and walked down between Ron and Harry, who was carrying the unconscious Ginny.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
REVIEW!!! 


	6. Waking Up

CHAPTER 6: WAKING UP  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Ginny finally woke up from her long forced sleep, her head felt like it was going to explode. The room tilted and blurred for a moment, before she blinked sleep from her eyes and tried to sit up. She was in her own room. She pushed the covers off herself and stepped out of the comfort of her bed. Walking over to her window, she noticed it was already dark out. When she had been at Colin's, it had still been morning.  
  
She frowned in the darkness. The moonlight streamed into her room; shadows of leaves danced across her carpeted floor. She tried to remember what had happened. Bits and pieces floated back to her, as she stared out over the grounds. Then in an instant she remembered: Ron, Harry and Hermione had found her. Harry had grabbed her and Ron.Ron. her brother.had forced her to sleep.  
  
Icy fury began to race though her veins, and she felt her blood freeze. Her eyes narrowed in anger. Sometimes he went too far. God forbid I want time to myself. What is this, a prison?  
  
She tried to push the window open, but it wouldn't budge. She tried harder, but it still wouldn't budge. She banged it hard with her fist continuously; the sound of clanging glass encompassed her small room.  
  
"Damn it!" Ginny muttered. They don't even trust me enough to get some fresh air. She shook the thought out of her head. They're just worried. Who wouldn't be? She sighed, and slumped her shoulders. She would have to face her family soon. She was dreading having to face them, seeing the worry lines on her mother's face and the concern her brothers would give her. She cringed and rested her forehead on the smooth cool surface of the window, gripping its edge until her knuckles turned a ghostly shade of white. She hated troubling her family like this. She wanted them to go about their business and not worry about hers.  
  
Suddenly the doorknob was turning with the effort of someone on the other side forcing entry. Ginny lifted her head to the door, and bit her lip. Oh not yet! she inwardly pled.  
  
The door flung open, and Hermione stepped in. She stopped in the doorway and regarded Ginny with worry.  
  
Ginny's initial fright and nervousness ebbed away as she caught sight of one of her captors. A fresh wave of fury settled in.  
  
"You're awake," Hermione finally managed to find her voice.  
  
"You're observant. How long was that nifty little charm Ron put on me supposed to work?" Ginny said it more harshly than she meant to. It wasn't her fault she was locked up.  
  
Hermione flinched, but closed the door behind her.  
  
"Only twelve hours."  
  
"Oh, only," Ginny said, allowing a drop of sarcasm into her reply.  
  
Hermione walked slowly over to Ginny's bed and cautiously sat down. "Gin, I'm sorry about what Ron did. He reacted too fast, before Harry and I had time to do anything."  
  
"Yeah," Ginny said, now reaching the height of frustration.  
  
"Ginny, what's going on?" Hermione asked softly. "You have to talk. Everyone knows something's wrong, but you won't talk to anyone. We are all really worried."  
  
"Why should you be worried? I honestly don't need everyone's pity, especially yours and Harry's. That's not what I'm after," she said softly.  
  
"It's not pity, Ginny. We just want to help you because you're our friend."  
  
"Friend?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Herms, can I ask you a question?" she asked curiously.  
  
Hermione nodded nervously.  
  
"Would you be my friend if I wasn't Ron's little sister?" Ginny truly didn't know where all this bitterness was coming from, but there it was. Maybe it was close to being that time of the month..  
  
"Of course," Hermione burst.  
  
"I don't know, it took you pretty long to finally realize that I existed. Exactly 3 years."  
  
"Ginny! You're one of my very best friends."  
  
Ginny just shrugged and looked out the window. She knew that Hermione was telling the truth. She wanted to go back to feeling normal, without these crazy mood swings (mostly crabbiness) from lack of sleep and hopelessness. She hated those feelings, especially the last one.  
  
"Ginny, it's true!" Hermione insisted, her eyes misting over with unshed tears.  
  
Ginny watched the tears form and instantly felt guilty.  
  
"Oh, Hermione, I'm sorry.. I know that that's not why you're my friend," she said weakly. "I'm going to go to my tree, I'll see you tomorrow morning."  
  
"Ginny, it's midnight!" But Ginny was gone; the door shut softly behind her.  
  
"Ginny.?" Hermione called desperately.  
  
Ginny ignored her and hopped down the stairs, thinking about her confrontation with Hermione upstairs, only to meet Fred, George, Ron, and Harry, talking in low voices in the living room. She took a deep breath and tried to sneak across the expanse of the living room without them noticing.  
  
Fred and Harry, who were facing her, unfortunately looked up.  
  
"Ginny?" Harry's eyes met hers. She quickly diverted her eyes to Fred, who was already getting up. Ron and George swiveled around and looked at her, as Fred swept his sister into a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"God, don't ever do that again! Mum went crazy! You had us worried sick about you!" Fred said in her ear. He pulled back so George could hug her.  
  
Ron stood hesitantly in front of her; she made sure that she kept at least a foot distance from herself and him. "Gin, seriously, what's the matter?" he asked his eyes full of concern.  
  
"What's the matter? WHAT'S THE MATTER?" Ginny shrieked, her rage building again. "Ron, you cursed me, or hexed me, or charmed me, I don't even know which, to cooperate with you! I told you I wasn't ready to leave yet, so what do you do? You put me to sleep so I couldn't put a word in for myself!" Ron shook his head.  
  
"It was a charm, and I'm really sorry, I wasn't thinking. You know me, Gin! Sometimes I get ahead of myself. And that wasn't what I meant before, I meant what's wrong with you in general? What made you run away?"  
  
Fred and George watched the exchange between their sister and brother. She glanced at their curious eyes, and narrowed her eyes angrily at her brother for interfering. If she were going to tell anyone it wouldn't be her overly- protective brothers. She REALLY didn't need them to watching her like she was going to just keel over, especially Ron.  
  
"Look, can you just leave me alone for awhile?" she asked.  
  
"Ginny?" Harry asked from the same position on the couch, a nervous expression settled on his face. "Are you mad at me, or something?"  
  
Ginny didn't answer; she just shook her head, and walked out of the room. Just as she was about to open the back door, a hand reached out, and grabbed her wrist. She was spun around, and was suddenly looking into hurt emerald green eyes.  
  
"WHAT, Harry?" she said strongly.  
  
He stared down at her with a hurt expression.  
  
Ginny felt immediately guilty, and fidgeted from foot to foot, trying to get an apology across with her facial expressions.  
  
"Ginny! Seriously! Can you please tell me what's wrong? I thought we were good friends. Then you blow me off during the summer, and don't even come to see Hermione and me. Are you trying to avoid us?" he asked quietly.  
  
Ginny gave him a pained look. "No."  
  
"Did you really mean what you said earlier? About me not being your friend?" he asked his eyes swimming with obvious hurt. "Because I don't just think of you as a little sister. You're my friend, one of my best friends."  
  
Ginny couldn't handle it anymore. She finally cracked and promptly burst into tears.  
  
"Oh Harry. No! No! No! Of course you're my friend! I was just angry," she said shaking her head. She turned her head to glance longingly out the window at the dark sky. "This bloody stinks," she muttered beneath her breath.  
  
"What's going on? I want to help." His eyes bored into her head. She tried not to look at him, but it was so very hard when he was staring at her so intensely, with those beautiful, probing eyes.  
  
Ginny kept her gaze locked firmly at the dark sky outside the kitchen window. Colin's words rang in her head. Tell Harry, he'd be more help. She sighed. How much she wanted to tell him, but she was afraid. "Look, you wouldn't understand," she whispered, knowing it wasn't true, he'd understand better than anyone would. But she wanted him to remain happily unaware. He had too much to worry about without her problems weighing him down. Danger is his life. He won't be in any more danger than he already is. Just tell him, you probably won't regret it. Colin's words flashed unexpectedly through her mind. She shivered involuntarily, and kept her gaze fixed out the window.  
  
She felt a hand reach up under her chin, and she felt her head being turned to face his. He placed both of his hands on each of her shoulders, leaning slightly over and looked into her eyes.  
  
"Try me."  
  
That was it.  
  
"I." she managed shakily.  
  
Just then, Ron walked into the room and looked at them, an unreadable expression plastered on his face.  
  
Harry's hands fell to his side, and he straightened up, turning to Ron, who stood in the doorway to the kitchen.  
  
Ginny took a step back and looked wide-eyed between her brother and Harry, before turning and running out the back door.  
  
As Ginny stepped outside of the Burrow, she heard Harry address Ron.  
  
"Why'd you have to come in now?"  
  
"What were you doing in here?" Ron's voice inquired.  
  
"Don't follow, Ron," Harry warned, before he disappeared into the darkness.  
  
Ginny's pace quickened toward her tree as she heard Harry's footsteps getting closer to her. She could hardly see a foot in front of her, but she didn't care. She flung herself against her tree, and crawled to the other side, away from the side where Harry was approaching. She pulled her knees up to cradle her head, and reached her hands up to cover her face. She leaned her back against the rough bark. God, what's happening to me?  
  
She heard the soft patter of footsteps stop in front of her. She began to feel the presence of someone crouching in front of where she was sitting.  
  
"Ginny?" She glanced up, then dropped her head in embarrassment. He sat down on the soft earth next to her, as close as she would let him. Their shoulders brushed, as he leaned in to nudge her into looking at him.  
  
"Harry.You don't have to comfort me. Just go up to bed, tell Ron that I'm fine."  
  
"Now, Ginny, stop that! I came here of my own free will. I can't just go up to bed while you're down here crying and I don't know the reason." An indefinable emotion passed through his green eyes, and despite herself, Ginny was intrigued to find out what it was.  
  
"Well, I'm fine." She stood up, brushing off the seat of her trousers.  
  
"No, you're not. You were just about to tell me before Ron came in, so what changed?" Harry pleaded. He reached up, grabbing her wrist, and pulled her back down. She fell with a thump back on the ground and glared at Harry.  
  
"Harry." She gave him a glare.  
  
"Ginny, you need to tell someone."  
  
Colin's voice popped into her head again. Tell Harry! Tell Harry! And she wanted to, to tell him everything. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to just let her go now that he had her sitting down next to him, and she knew he would understand, and maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to deal with this alone.  
  
She ran a shaking hand over her eyes, before looking back at a pleading Harry. She felt her resolve break.  
  
"You can't tell Ron."  
  
Harry frowned, "Unless it's serious."  
  
She gave him a stern look. "No, Harry, you can't tell him at all, or Hermione, or anyone else for that matter, not my family, not Dumbledore.no one." Harry frowned, but didn't say anything. "God, I can't believe I'm telling you this." She took a deep breath, and plunged on.  
  
"To start, I'm having nightmares."  
  
Harry's eyes widened, but he didn't look overly shocked.  
  
"I knew it had to be something. Must be a pretty bad one."  
  
"Yea, well, it's only one recurring dream. It's a battle at Hogwarts. Everyone's eating dinner, when." she took a deep breath, and continued, visibly shaken. "When Voldemort shows up. You push me under the table, while Ron pushes Hermione under the table, you and Ron go off to face him by yourself, and he says something to you, but I can never hear what. Finally near the end of my dream I hear him yell 'Crucio', and I wake up." She'd left out a lot of the details, but he didn't need to know every single moment of her dreams.  
  
Harry stared at her. The silence stretched for a moment; only the leaves rustling in the trees could be heard. Ginny was slowly beginning to regret telling him all of this. It just made her seem more helpless. Her stomach began to churn with dread. What had she done?  
  
"Ginny, we have to tell someone!" he said. "That could mean a number of things. We should contact Dumbledore."  
  
Ginny's stomach dropped, and the blood quickly left her face.  
  
"NO! Harry please! He'll tell my parents, and they'll tell Ron to look after me. I can't do that. I don't think I will be able to stand it, I don't want to be thought of as helpless. I can take care of myself."  
  
"Doesn't look like it," he said looking her up and down.  
  
The implication of his words sunk in and her Weasley temper flared up. She hastily stood up, and glared down at him.  
  
"Well excuse me, Mr. Potter! I'm a big girl, and I can handle myself. If you don't believe me, then sod off. I'd rather not worry my family with my stupid nightmares."  
  
Harry quickly shook his head, his face panicked. "Look Gin, I didn't mean it like it came out. I know you're a big girl. I'm just worried, that's all, and besides, it's not stupid, it could very well be a warning, and you should contact Professor Dumbledore," he said strongly.  
  
Ginny shook her head.  
  
"Look, I'm really tired, Harry. We'll talk about this tomorrow."  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" Harry asked with concern.  
  
"Yea, I'll be fine. I've gotten this far haven't I?" Harry frowned, but kept his mouth shut.  
  
"Ok, look, I won't tell anyone, but I think that you should! Don't think I'm not going to convince you!"  
  
"Goodnight, Harry." Ginny threw over her shoulder, before disappearing into the dark Burrow.  
  
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	7. That Night

**Review!** I OWN NOTHING!  
  
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Harry sat there for a good fifteen minutes before an urgent voice shattered the silence.  
  
"Harry! Did you get her to talk?" Ron asked quietly, running from the house.  
  
Harry sat there quietly, still deep in thought, not really hearing Ron.  
  
"Hello?" Ron waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention. "Ginny just walked inside. Did you get her to talk?" he asked as he sat down cross-legged next to his best friend next to his best friend.  
  
Harry thoughts were whirling and his emotions in a turmoil. His eyebrows furrowed in thought. Should he tell Ron? It would ruin Ginny's trust for him, but it could also save her life. But then again, if I did tell Ron, she would never confide in me again, and she would sink deeper into herself.  
  
He decided against telling Ron anything. When Ginny was ready she'd tell Ron herself; no need for him to butt into her business.  
  
But still it bothered him.  
  
"Nothing," Harry finally answered.  
  
"Nothing? Just nothing?" Ron asked, confusion lining his face.  
  
"She won't tell me a thing." Guilt wrapped unmercifully around his insides.  
  
Ron pounded his fist into the soft ground, causing Harry to jump slightly. "God! Why won't she talk to us!" he growled.  
  
"I don't know." Harry said distantly, lost in thought. Wait this can't be right. Ginny's getting dreams, pertaining to Voldemort, whenever I do, but I'm getting nothing, no dreams, no scar pains. Is it possible that she's in more danger than I am?  
  
Harry made up his mind quickly, and jumped up, walking toward the house. He needed to ask her about her dreams. His worry was mounting. She had left too soon. He needed to know more. He needed to know when this started and for how long it had been going on. H needed to know everything he could to protect her. He couldn't explain the determination coursing through his veins like an addictive fluid.  
  
Ron got up immediately and chased closely after Harry, catching him by the arm and looking at him curiously.  
  
"Harry, what's with you? You seem more worried than the rest of us put together. Do you know something?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"Ron, That's just it, I know nothing! And it's killing me to know that I could be doing something. After everything that happened with the Triwizard Tournament three years ago, and all the warnings last year, I can't let anyone close to me get hurt! And it looks like I'm failing to protect the people close to me AGAIN. I don't like the feeling all right?" He could feel a prickling behind his eyes, but he ignored it, blinking it away.  
  
Ron looked at him sorrowfully. "Harry you know none of that was you're fault, just like this whole thing with Ginny isn't your fault."  
  
"Ron, just let's go inside, it's midnight." Harry stalked past Ron and into the house. The minute he stepped inside, he immediately made for the staircase.  
  
"Harry, where you going?" Ron asked, looking at him like he had three heads.  
  
"Umm.. To get my sweater.in your room." He pointed up the stairs.  
  
Ron gave him a funny look before walking over to him.  
  
"You need to relax." He looked up the stairs. "Take a minute from all the people saving, and have some fun, we are going to have a game of chess before bed!" Ron grinned at Harry happily. Harry sighed and walked over to the couch, where they would undoubtedly be playing.  
  
Ron disappeared up the stairs. Harry took it upon himself to relax into the soft fluffy cushions of the Weasleys' couch, while he thought of all the things Ginny had confided in him. He was starting to seriously doubt if he could keep all of it too himself. He remembered how frightened Ginny had been when they'd found her at Colin's house. His chest constricted painfully. He remembered when she said that they weren't friends, and the pain that those words had caused him. He wanted to be there for her, and having her say that to him was like a punch in the stomach. He sighed, and ran his hand through his unruly black hair.  
  
Harry waited five minutes before Ron came tiptoeing down the staircase, trying desperately not to make much noise. The way he went about it was actually quite comical. He chuckled and Ron looked up.  
  
"What?" he inquired, tilting his head slightly to the right, and narrowing his eyes at Harry.  
  
"You look ridiculous trying to stay quiet like that!" Harry laughed, lightening the mood considerably.  
  
Ron laughed with him, while he set the chessboard on the coffee table. He set up the pieces, and the two hours long game began.  
  
The knot between Harry's shoulder blades slowly began to unravel as he relaxed into the chess game. But the loss of tension only served to make him sleepy. He rubbed his eyes under his glasses, pushing the metal frames farther up his nose, as he tried desperately to stay awake.  
  
"Ron! Honestly, I'm really, REALLY tired!" Harry moaned.  
  
"Oh buck up Harry, the games almost over!" Ron said, before braking into a wide grin..  
  
"Yea, and who's gonna win?"  
  
"Why me of course." Ron said without a trace of sarcasm. He studied the board seriously, weighing his chances, before he made his move.  
  
"Exactly, so what's the point of going further."  
  
"The point is, that if we finish this game, and I win, it feeds my ego, and my ego is very hungry right now."  
  
"Right, no wonder your head is exceptionally large. It's from all that chess winning." Harry grinned tiredly. Ron chuckled.  
  
When the game was finally over, and Ron had successfully managed checkmate, Harry looked at his Muggle watch, and gasped.  
  
"God, Ron, it's two in the morning!"  
  
Ron looked at him like he didn't care, and rounded up all of his chess pieces. "So?" He stood up, and stretched. Harry marveled again at Ron's extraordinary height. "I'm going to bed, you coming?"  
  
Harry blinked tiredly. It was almost a chore to open them back up again, "Yea in a minute. I want to grab something to drink, then I'll be up." Ron looked at Harry and nodded, then disappeared up the staircase without a backward glance.  
  
Harry wandered into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice from a jug on the counter. The juice was cool, having a cooling charm placed on it to keep it fresh. He gulped it down greedily before turning toward the stairs and walking sleepily up.  
  
He stopped in front of Ginny's room; a pale light was visible through the crack under her door. What was she doing up? His eyes widened at what he just thought, and he got an insane urge to check up on her, and of course he could interrogate her. All traces of fatigue were quickly forgotten.  
  
He gently placed one hand on the cold wood of her door, and gently began to push it open. A small crevice of dim light poured out into the dark hallway, throwing his shadow onto the wooden floor just behind him.  
  
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	8. Finding comfort in Harry

I OWN NOTHING!  
  
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Chapter 8: Finding comfort in Harry  
  
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Ginny was sitting in the Great Hall again eating dinner. She glanced around. A sick, eerie feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach, almost as though she knew what was coming somehow. Harry sat on her right, chatting to her, apparently oblivious to what was on her mind. She turned a deaf ear on what Harry was saying and looked down at her hands, but couldn't quite feel them. Harry next to her looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to reply. She looked up with wide eyes, and saw Ron and Hermione staring at her like she was some kind of foreign object. The knot of eerie tension in her stomach began to tighten as she looked back into Harry's brilliant green eyes. She needed to warn them!  
  
"Harry!" Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She reached up to her throat, panic rising as she tried to push air from her lungs. She began to wave her arms frantically for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to leave. They just looked at her, confused. They shook their heads at her.  
  
"MOVE!" They stared at her. "MOVE! Please!"  
  
The hall became frigidly cold, and the windows surrounding the Great Hall shattered inward. Dumbledore stood up; his eyes scanned the panic-stricken room. His penetrating eyes landed again on Harry.  
  
Ginny watched in a panic as Harry leapt up, grabbing Ginny under her upper arm. She struggled to be released. She needed to get them out, to help them, but Harry was adamant. He pushed her under the tablecloth, and embraced her. She saw his mouth move, but no sound escaped his lips. It was driving her crazy! He kissed her forehead, and ran to face the Dark Lord. Ginny watched the familiar exchange between Voldemort and Harry with rising panic. She knew the tablecloth was soon going to fly off. Just as she'd imagined it the tablecloth flew off, and Ginny and Hermione shrieked in fright. She watched as Voldemort caught the offending material, and sneered evilly at Ginny. Harry shouted with no sound at Voldemort.  
  
Then Ginny found herself right in front of Voldemort.  
  
"Crucio!" She saw Voldemort's mouth move, as a blinding flash of light exploded from Voldemort's wand, right toward her chest.  
  
~~~~  
  
She gave a small shriek and woke up panting, sweat forming on her pale forehead. She looked over at Hermione's bed, thankful that she'd slept through Ginny's nightmare. Ginny didn't know what any of the dreams meant. Each time, little things would change, almost as if saying it was unsure of the future. Ginny picked up her wand on her nightstand, and muttered, "Lumos." The wand lit, illuminating her pale features in the darkened room. She sighed and reached under her mattress, groping until her fingers closed over the cold leather of her journal.  
  
It looks like I'd better get used to this, she thought unhappily to herself. She picked up her quill from the bedside table and began to record the night's eventful dream.  
  
Her pen poured her emotions into the journal; she wrote everything down. How she'd talked to Harry, and told him everything; how she was regretting telling him anything at all. As she wrote, the regret grew to a sickening bug eating at her stomach. She knew she hadn't done the wrong thing, but now she also knew that there was no going back. He was involved, and knowing him, he would make sure to remain involved.  
  
She chewed on the tip of her quill and stared at the writing in the journal. The letters contorted, and looked like scribble, as she lost focus. She didn't want Harry to be obsessed over something as insignificant as this. He didn't need this in his life. She needed to make him forget she'd said anything. He had to forget.  
  
Ginny snorted at the thought. Fat chance of that ever happening!  
  
Her curtains fluttered in the early morning chilly breeze. She didn't realize that her bedroom door silently cracked open. Bright green eyes cautiously peered into the semi darkness.  
  
~~~~  
  
His wandering eyes landed on Ginny, and he smiled despite himself.  
  
Her head was bent over a large leather bound book, her hair tumbling beautifully over the pages. Harry looked harder to see what book it was, but there was no writing on the cover.  
  
He heard her sigh, watched as she bit the tip of her quill. He glanced over to Hermione's bed, and saw a sprout of bushy brown hair springing from beneath the covers. He chuckled silently; apparently the Sleekeasy's had worn off. Harry was somewhat surprised that Hermione slept through the light on Ginny's desk.  
  
He bit his lip, and decided to take his chances.  
  
"Ginny?" he asked quietly, hoping not to wake Hermione.  
  
Ginny's head shot up, and she stared at him with wide eyes. Her auburn hair fell wildly over her shoulders in waves, giving the impression that she had been tossing and turning for the majority of the night. Harry looked closer, and could almost make out tear tracks on her porcelain face. He pushed the door open wider and stepped inside the small, purple room.  
  
She looked at him, and clutched her hand to her chest. "Gosh, Harry!" She looked around the room for a minute before looking at him curiously. "Harry, what are you doing here?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.  
  
"Umm.er.."  
  
He didn't want to tell her the truth; she'd said she didn't want people worrying about her. But how could he not, after what she told him? "Well, to tell you the truth, I wanted to see if you'd fallen asleep." He smiled at her.  
  
She placed her quill in her journal and snapped it closed, tucking it back safely under her mattress.  
  
"Yea, that'll happen soon," she said gloomily. She patted the covers next to her, and Harry crossed the room to sit down.  
  
"Gin, I also wanted to ask you some things. For instance, how long has this been going on?"  
  
"Harry, do we have to talk about this? I really don't want to," she sighed heavily, closing her eyes momentarily.  
  
"I have to know," he persisted.  
  
"So you can tell my brother? No, I should never have told you," she said, shaking her head. She pulled the covers up to her neck and lay down, cradled by the soft mattress.  
  
Harry leaned over and pinned her shoulders to the bed. He stared down at her, his irritation growing stronger.  
  
"Ginny! Do you understand how important this could be? At least tell Dumbledore! Please!" he pleaded quietly. His face was mere inches from hers.  
  
He studied her pale face, looking for some kind of reaction, and found himself admiring her. There was a sprinkling of fading freckles surrounding her small nose, placed nicely in the center of her face. Her hair was fanned out around her shoulders, and standing out rather loudly from her white pillow. Her warm brown eyes were large in shock, and her full lips were quivering.  
  
He continued to stare down at her, as she gazed steadily back. He momentarily forgot what he'd just said.  
  
She's so beautiful. Why hadn't I noticed before? he thought to himself. He felt his cheeks begin to flush.  
  
Hermione snuffled and flipped over, and Harry froze, jerked out of his thoughts. Standing up slowly, he glanced stiffly at Ginny.  
  
The terror he felt, he saw mirrored in her eyes. He nervously looked to where Hermione was sleeping. He knew what was going through her head, because it was going through his too.  
  
If Hermione or, god forbid, Ron, found him in Ginny's room at two in the morning, they would be in deep, deep trouble. And they would be subjected to Fred and George's teasing.  
  
Harry backed away, and sighed with relief as Hermione settled back into the covers, oblivious of the fright she just caused in her two friends.  
  
Harry reached down and flung the covers off of Ginny. "Up," he whispered. Ginny looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We can't talk here, we're going downstairs."  
  
"Harry, can't this wait until tomorrow? I'm really tired." She yawned for effect.  
  
"No, because you'll do everything in your power to make sure I don't find you alone. Let's go," he commanded.  
  
Ginny glared at him, but swung her short legs over the side of the bed and stood up, making a show of stretching her muscles. She followed Harry out of her room, muttering curses at herself for getting him involved, that she didn't think Harry heard.  
  
"I don't like this authoritative side of you, Harry," Ginny said, her voice laced with warning.  
  
He shrugged, "I'm just trying to help."  
  
When they entered the living room, the fire in the fireplace had gone out, and Harry, pointing his wand at the fireplace, whispered 'Incendio,' starting it up again. Ginny sat down on the far right of the fluffy couch, and rested her vibrant head on the armrest, her hair falling over the side. She waited while he tried to find his words.  
  
He began to fidget and paced in front of her. What was he going to say? What was he in the position to say? He wanted to know about Ginny's dreams. He couldn't explain it, but he was beginning to feel violent protectiveness when it concerned the youngest Weasley.  
  
"Harry.look, you caught me, I had the dream tonight, you came in right when I was recording it in my journal," she said weakly.  
  
Harry stared at her now, open-mouthed.  
  
"Tell me about it." He walked over and sat down on the couch facing her.  
  
She shrugged, a tactic of hers, trying to get him to lose interest. "It was the same as usual, nothing to get all hot and bothered over."  
  
Nothing doing. Harry rolled his eyes, "Tell me."  
  
She sighed loudly. "Are you always going to be this persistent?"  
  
"Yes, when it involves keeping my..friends..safe," he said.  
  
~~~~  
  
She glared a Harry a moment, irritated that he was pushing it, but the look in his eyes softened her slightly. She sighed heavily, and sat up straight, and pulled her legs to her chest, and rested her chin on her knees, and recalled the dream from memory.  
  
She opened her mouth, but only an undistinguishable sound escaped her lips, and she hid her face in her knees, red-faced, before trying again.  
  
"We were eating dinner.I tried to warn Ron, Hermione, and you, but you couldn't understand me," she stopped to take a deep breath, before looking up, and meeting his penetrating gaze. "You-Know-Who showed up like he always does, and.and.said Crucio, like always, and I wake up."  
  
"Do you know whom he was cursing?" Harry asked placing his hand on her shoulder. She shook her head. "So, that's it?"  
  
~~~~  
  
"Yea, well the important stuff. Harry, I don't know what's wrong with me, but I want it to stop!" Harry watched helplessly as her warm brown eyes filled with tears.  
  
Harry gently gave her shoulder a squeeze, before dropping his hand. He had the urge to just reach over and hug her, but he had to get his questions answered first. He sighed, and looked into her eyes.  
  
"How long has this been going on?"  
  
Ginny blushed.  
  
"How long, Ginny?" he asked, eyeing the guilty expression that began to grow over her face.  
  
"Well, off and on for two years. You know, since You-Know-Who's rebirth."  
  
"Voldemort, call him by his name." He corrected her instinctively.  
  
She gulped, "Voldemort. Anyway, random ones, involving the Chamber of Secrets, and the Triwizard Tournament. This one reoccurring dream started two or three weeks ago."  
  
Harry looked at her, worry in every feature on his face. He had one more question that was bothering him. He was afraid to upset her, but he had to know. "Ginny, why did you run away?"  
  
Ginny cried silently, but lifted her tear-stained face to meet Harry's eyes.  
  
"No offense Harry, but I left because I didn't want you or Hermione to find out about my dreams. I didn't want to have to explain this, like I'm doing right now. I guess I was avoiding this," she smiled weakly at him.  
  
Harry reached across the couch and pulled Ginny toward him. He gently rubbed her back. His fear for her ebbed slowly away as he held her close.  
  
"There was no purpose to running away. Did you honestly think that running away would diminish your family's worry?"  
  
"I know that now," she sniffed, and clung around Harry's waist.  
  
He closed his eyes, just breathing in her intoxicating scent. He didn't know what any of this meant, he had no idea why he was feeling all these emotions for Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, one of his best friends; all he knew was that it felt right, and it felt good to protect her. It had started sometime over the summer, when he found himself waiting for the letters from her, that he had never gotten. He'd never felt more disappointed.  
  
He held her tighter savoring the feel of her wrapped snugly in his arms. He smiled, pulled away, and looked down into her face. He reached down, and tucked a strand of wayward red hair off her forehead and behind her ear. She looked up at him with wide questioning eyes, before a broad smile spread across her pink lips.  
  
"You'll get through all this. You're strong, and remember, I'll be here the whole way through." And he truly meant what he'd said.  
  
"Thank you, Harry, for everything," Ginny smiled at him, and he felt that pleasant tingling in his stomach.  
  
"Oh Gin, how could I not care? You're one of my best friends." He reached over and ruffled her hair.  
  
"Ok, well, I think I've heard enough, and I daresay you've had enough emotional trauma for one night. I wouldn't want Fred, George, or, god forbid, Ron to come down here and find me in this compromising position with their beloved sister." Harry grinned. Ginny chuckled, and playfully punched his arm.  
  
They stood up and stretched. A thought must have struck Ginny then, because her eyes turned questioningly as she turned to a yawning Harry.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry turned to regard her.  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"Did you sleep at all tonight?" she asked, tilting her head in a questioning manner.  
  
"No," he grinned mischievously. "I was up getting my arse kicked in chess by Ron, for the bizillionth time." Ginny laughed quietly, and reached up and kissed Harry's cheek. She seemed to be as surprised as he was. Harry's stomach flopped pleasantly. He felt his cheeks flame up. Thank God the only light in the room was from the dim fire.  
  
What he didn't see in the dark living room was Ginny Weasley's cheeks also turning a rosy pink.  
  
There was a long silence, before Ginny broke it.  
  
"Thanks Harry, for everything. It means a lot to me. Maybe I won't go mad now?" Ginny muttered, before turned toward the stairs.  
  
Harry was glad that it was semi-dark in the living room to hide his now flaming face.  
  
He just nodded silently. He stood in stunned silence and lifted a hand to his cheek. He couldn't help the grin that was forming in the corners of his mouth.  
  
He glanced over at the Muggle clock above the fireplace, that Mr. Weasley had been so excited about mounting, and audibly gasped. It was already 2:45am. He turned on his heels, and ran up the rickety stairs toward Ron's lopsided room on the top floor. Please let Ron be asleep, please!  
  
When he entered the room, he smiled broadly to himself. There was a soft snoring from Ron's bed. Harry silently thanked God for his good fortune that Ron had fallen asleep while waiting for him.  
  
He crawled into his covers silently, and smiled happily to himself before falling into a dreamless sleep.  
  
~~~~  
  
Thanks so much to Trouble! My awesome beta! 


	9. Finally, a Night's Peace!

I OWN NOTHING!  
  
~~~~ Chapter 9: Finally, a Night's Peace! ~~~~  
  
Ginny woke up a week later, the air knocked forcefully out of her lungs. She opened her eyes to see purple carpeting smashed roughly against her cheek and groaned, quickly realizing that she had fallen out of her bed and onto the floor, her body tangled in a mass of covers.  
  
Hermione stood above her in her dressing gown, laughing. Ginny groaned and reached up onto the bed, feeling around until she felt the soft material of her pillow. She pulled it down and tucked it under her head, trying desperately to go back to sleep in her current position. This was the first good night's sleep she'd had in weeks, and she was NOT about to let it go to waste.  
  
"Time to wake up, Gin," Hermione giggled. Ginny grunted in a very unladylike fashion, and rolled over on the ground, trying to get comfortable.  
  
"I swear, Gin, you're just like your brother. A nuclear bomb could go off next door, and you'd sleep peacefully through it!"  
  
Ginny didn't comment on the 'nuclear bomb,' whatever that was, but instead tried to bury her head further into her pillow.  
  
At that moment a stampede of feet barged through the door, just as Mrs. Weasley's voice echoed up the stairs into Ginny's room. "What's happened? Is everything all right?"  
  
"She's all right, she just fell out of bed," Hermione shouted, her voice moving toward the bedroom door.  
  
Ginny heard the door click shut and the rustle of Hermione's nightgown as she swept back across the room. The mattress springs creaked and moaned as Hermione sat down on her bed. Ginny began to feel the distinct sensation of eyes on her.  
  
"Ginny fell out of bed," Hermione repeated much quieter.  
  
Ginny lifted her head in confusion. Hermione sat on the bed looking down at her, an annoyingly wide-awake grin on her face. Fred, George, Ron, and Harry all stood above her, amused smiles gracing their faces.  
  
She groaned and dropped her head back into her pillow again, trying to find her way back into her comfortable, dream-free sleep.  
  
"So we heard," said Ron, a smirk evident in his voice.  
  
"My god, I thought she'd thrown herself off the bed, or against a wall, or something, it was so loud. Granted, our room is right under hers," said Fred groggily.  
  
"Ahh yes, the sounds of Ginny falling out of bed in the morning. It wouldn't be a day without it," said George.  
  
"She fell back to sleep after that?" asked Harry, his voice coming closer.  
  
She felt someone crouch next to her, and lean their head close to hers. "Ginny?" Warm breath tickled her ear. She shivered, and flipped over, away from the voice.  
  
"Harry, don't, if you know what's good for you," warned George.  
  
Harry seemed to have ignored him, because he began to prod her back. She flipped back over, roughly, and opened one eye to glare menacingly at Harry.  
  
"Ginny?" he asked bending lower to talk into her ear.  
  
"Go 'way! Don't you get the picture?" She swiped his face away, knocking off his glasses. The other occupants of the room laughed as he scuttled across the room to retrieve them.  
  
"We tried to warn you, she's a violent morning person. But nooo, the great Harry Potter goes by his own rules," said Fred. "Watch and learn."  
  
Ginny lifted her head from her position on the floor to look at what Fred was talking about. She sat up hastily as she saw him pull something out of his robes that looked like a small blue pill.  
  
"Fred-" she said warningly, but her plea fell on deaf ears. Everyone was looking at Fred, who had already bitten off the top of the pill and flung it on the other side of the room, near Ginny.  
  
The pill gave a mini-explosion, emanating a small bright blue mushroom cloud, right where Ginny's head was. She was engulfed in the raspberry- scented fumes. Her lungs filled with the bright blue smoke, and she felt herself begin to sputter and cough.  
  
"Jeez! I'm-bloody-awake!" she coughed, waving the clouds of blue away from her face. She hastily stood up, pushing the mass of blankets away from her and stumbling over them as she purposefully made her way toward her twin brothers. Her hair was slowly turning a violent shade of blue, starting at the roots and slowly creeping down to the tips, like a water balloon that had exploded on someone's head.  
  
"Uh--Gin," said Hermione, pointing nervously to Ginny's head.  
  
Ginny looked across the room into the mirror above her dresser, and shrieked, her eyes wide with terror. She picked up a strand of her hair, and stared at it. Her mouth fell open.  
  
She caught Fred and George laughing in the reflection behind her, and immediately dropped her now-blue hair. She turned to her brothers slowly, suddenly murderous. Every muscle in her body was tense with the need for revenge.  
  
Fred and George took one look at their little sister, and immediately stopped laughing. "We thought you could use a little cheer--You know-- since you've been down lately," George tried, backing up into the far wall, away from Ginny's attack path.  
  
Ginny didn't say anything. The cloud of bright blue smoke was slowly disappearing into a blue haze, engulfing the small room and all of its occupants. She walked toward them slowly, having every intent to make them regret their little joke.  
  
"It'll only last an hour!" said Fred, as she came within hitting distance of them. She didn't say anything. She only lifted her hands and began to hit them repeatedly, flailing her thin arms at them. They tried to back up farther into the corner, and shrunk under their sister's wrath.  
  
"Do you see my hair! MY HAIR! MY HAIR! WHY MY HAIR?" Ginny shrieked.  
  
"Taste it, Gin," said George quickly.  
  
"What? Taste my hair?" she asked sarcastically, pausing from her attack.  
  
"Yea," he smirked.  
  
"Are you kidding me? Try something you made?" she shot him an angry glare.  
  
"just try it."  
  
Ginny gave George and Fred one final punch, before taking a strand of hair into her mouth. Her eyes widened. It tastes like raspberry. "What was that pill?" she asked.  
  
"Our new invention, for our shop." They grinned at her. "Haven't thought of a name yet, but it comes in many different flavors," supplied George.  
  
She heard Ron and Harry burst into peals of laughter. Hermione bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter, but she let a slight chuckle.  
  
"When will it come out?" Ginny growled.  
  
"In an hour."  
  
"It better."  
  
"FRED, GEORGE, WHAT WAS THAT EXPLOSION? GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT! THAT BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN ANYTHING INVOVING WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES IN THIS HOUSE!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked up the staircase, sounding very much like an angry wolverine.  
  
"Ginny wouldn't get up! You know how she is! We were just doing it for the good of our sister, to get her out of bed!" Fred called down to their mother. George and him exited Ginny's room.  
  
There was an awkward silence following the twins' exit that hung between the four still left in Ginny's room.  
  
Ginny moved to her dresser, and examined her hair from every angle. "Blue-- blue? Why blue?" She shook her head.  
  
There was silence, Ginny saw Ron in her reflection fidgeting uncomfortably. He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something, then changing his mind last minute.  
  
She turned to face him. "Ron?"  
  
"Look, Ginny, please forgive me for charming you at Colin's house the other day, I.I just didn't know how else to get you back, you know me."  
  
Ginny cracked a smile. "It's fine Ron, I feel a bit better being back anyway." She pointedly looked at Harry, watching his face grow red. "Ok, now that that's cleared up, you two have to leave. Hermione and I need to get dressed."  
  
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione and Ginny before shaking their heads and walking toward the door.  
  
After the door closed behind the boys, Ginny turned to Hermione.  
  
"Look, Herms, I'm really sorry about yesterday, I was in a really bad mood," Ginny admitted sheepishly.  
  
Hermione looked up at Ginny and smiled. She swung her arm around Ginny's slender shoulders.  
  
"No problem, Gin, you know you can always talk to me. What are friends for?"  
  
Ginny just smiled at her.  
  
"Gin, can I try your hair?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, and yanked a hair from her head, handing it to Hermione, who took it gladly.  
  
Hermione sucked on the strand of hair as she walked over to her trunk. Ginny went to her closet.  
  
"Hey, Gin, what do you say we dress Muggle today?"  
  
Ginny turned around, and raised her eyebrows at her clever friend. "My Muggle clothes aren't in fashion."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that, I've got enough. Come here."  
  
Ginny walked over to Hermione's trunk and watched anxiously as Hermione dug through her trunk. She pulled out a dark blue halter-top and a pair of short khaki shorts. "For you." She handed over the outfit. "It should go well with your hair," Hermione giggled, at Ginny's scowl.  
  
"Thanks," Ginny muttered, before slowly climbing into the clothes Hermione had loaned her. She looked in the mirror, turning slightly to get the whole effect. The halter-top fit snugly, accentuating her new curves. The shorts hugged her hips nicely, and showed off her toned legs. The only thing that was off was her bright blue hair; she sighed, and turned to see if Hermione approved.  
  
"Wow, Gin, my clothes fit you better than they do me! You look great. We must be the same size."  
  
Hermione wore a black short-sleeved shirt, and jean shorts accentuating her womanly curves as well. Ginny put on a touch of eyeshadow and mascara, while Hermione combed a bit of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion through her bushy locks.  
  
The two girls wandered down the stairs. When they entered the kitchen everyone looked up, and Harry and Ron's jaws dropped, both for different reasons.  
  
"GINNY!" Mrs. Weasley yelped. "Now really! What on Earth are you wearing, young lady? I suggest you go change this instant! You're not going into Diagon Alley dressed like a scarlet woman. What would people think? I'll tell you what they'd think! They'd think that I raised you to.to." Mrs. Weasley drifted off in her anger. Her eyes were set in determination, displaying her disapproval.  
  
"Molly, I believe that's Muggle fashion, although, I have to say, I'm not sure I like this particular one," Arthur put in frowning from behind the Daily Prophet.  
  
"Tell me, is it Muggle fashion to have your hair.bright blue?" Mrs. Weasley turned her rage back to her daughter, who stood in the entrance to the kitchen.  
  
"Mum, that isn't my fault!" said Ginny, gesturing to her head.  
  
"Not your fault? Then whose is it?" Her eyes immediately drifted over to Fred and George, just as the names slipped from her daughter's lips.  
  
"Fred and George."  
  
A look passed over Mrs. Weasley's face. "They call themselves grown men," she tutted. Now, you march right upstairs, and change that shirt, young lady."  
  
"Mum!"  
  
"Now!"  
  
"Molly, let her change after breakfast," her father said.  
  
She continued to stare at her daughter, her lips pressed together tightly in disapproval. She sighed, "Fine, but you're changing before you leave the house."  
  
"Fine," Ginny mumbled. She watched her mother bustle into the kitchen a moment later, muttering under her breath.  
  
"I can not believe you wore that down here," Ron sniggered. "I personally think you should change now, and spare our eyes!"  
  
Ginny's smile dropped from her face to be replaced by a scowl. She glared at her brother. "Like you're my father or something! For your information, Hermione loaned me these Muggle clothes."  
  
She sat down in the seat between her father and Harry.  
  
"Don't you think it shows too much skin? I didn't know they made clothes like that," said Ron.  
  
Ginny looked up and gave her brother a death glare. She thought she saw him jump slightly, a look of anguish on his face. She smiled inwardly; Harry or Hermione had probably kicked him beneath the table. She was grateful; she didn't need Ron preaching to her, especially now, when she could feel her guilt building as her mother came into the kitchen carrying a large frying pan of bacon. The sight alone sent her stomach churning. But she supposed she would put a smile on her face, and eat at least one rasher.  
  
"Yes, it shows too much skin. I can't believe that you actually thought I was going to let you just waltz right through here, wearing practically nothing!" her mother muttered, placing five strips of bacon on Ginny's plate. "Is this enough?" her mother finished.  
  
Ginny smiled weakly at her. "That's more than enough, thank you."  
  
Her mother nodded before walking back into the kitchen.  
  
"Don't you like it, Ron? I'm wearing Muggle clothes too. Do I look bad?" Hermione asked quietly from across the table.  
  
Harry coughed from next to her, but the cough sounded false, and almost joyful. She had an idea, from the vibrating coming from him that it was to cover up a laugh.  
  
Ron looked at Hermione with wide eyes, "No, NO, you look.Great.er.Good."  
  
There was a movement beside her, and Ginny saw Fred pass something to Harry under the table. Harry's body shook violently, though he tried to hold it in. Ginny turned in her seat and smiled at him. He looked up enough for only her to see his face. He was beet red, and tears of laughter were welling in his pools of emerald. Ginny stared in amusement.  
  
He reached out his hand to her, and held out a small piece of parchment.  
  
Ginny opened it, and scanned the parchment.  
  
Harry,  
  
How do you think Ron would look in Hermione's outfit? Or better yet, Ginny's? Fetching, huh?  
  
Gred.  
  
Ginny leaned over Harry's plate to look at her other brothers sitting next to him. Fred winked at her. She could feel Harry next to her, shaking with silent laughter.  
  
She leaned back into her chair, and bent over her plate biting her lip, trying desperately to stifle the bubble of laughter building in her throat.  
  
"What's so funny?" Ron asked, frowning from across the table.  
  
Ginny turned red with the effort of trying not to laugh. Harry was losing that particular battle, and had to resort to excusing himself for a brief minute. Fred and George looked at Ron innocently.  
  
"Bleeding crazy, I tell you!" Fred announced.  
  
"Clinically insane," George agreed shaking his head.  
  
When Harry came back, he was under control, and continued to eat his breakfast, not daring to look at Ron or Hermione in fear of having another laughing attack. Ron watched him curiously before turning back to his sister.  
  
Ginny picked up a piece of bacon, and looked at it in disgust. Ron looked curiously at her.  
  
"Aren't you going to eat, Gin?"  
  
Harry looked up at her, frowning. Ginny sighed, and put the bacon on the plate. She was angry with her brother for bringing attention to her.  
  
"I'm not really that hungry."  
  
Under the table Harry picked up her left hand, and squeezed it, hard. Ginny tried hard to ignore the pain. "Ginny, you have to eat," he said, giving her a concerned look. She scowled at him as he crushed her hand. When did he get off telling me what to do?  
  
"Ok," she whispered harshly, yanking her hand out of Harry's grasp. She began gently rubbing her injured hand, before picking up her bacon, and taking a bite. Harry nodded contentedly, then leaned toward her ear.  
  
"Did you have a dream after I talked to you?"  
  
Ginny scowled at him for bringing it up at the table, before shaking her head stiffly. "No, not after you left, that's why I wanted to sleep in. That was my first peaceful night in a few weeks."  
  
Harry looked at her in sympathy, "I'm sorry Gin, I should have made them let you sle--"  
  
"NO! It's good you didn't, no one will suspect," she whispered frantically back.  
  
He looked at her worriedly, his eyebrows furrowing together. Then he smiled and leaned in again. "By the way, you look great, Gin."  
  
Ginny blushed, not daring to look over at him. "Thank you, Harry," said Ginny, almost shyly.  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
"Secrets, secrets are no fun, they should be told to everyone!" Fred and George chanted happily from next to Harry.  
  
Ginny blushed and stared fixedly at her plate. Don't Harry! Don't!  
  
"What were you two talking about so secretly?" George asked in a suggestive tone.  
  
"Nothing. Actually, I was just asking her where we were going first when we get to Diagon Alley. Ginny needs to stop at Gringotts," lied Harry.  
  
Ginny raised her red face, and mouthed 'thank you' to Harry, who returned with a quick nod.  
  
"Who said Ginny's coming with us?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry and Hermione's heads snapped in his direction, both glaring daggers at him.  
  
Ginny saw him wince, and lean under the table to message his leg, probably where Hermione had given him a swift kick. "OW! Hermione! What the hell!"  
  
"Ron! Language!" Mr. Weasley said behind his newspaper, "and that wasn't very nice what you just did to your sister."  
  
"Aww, come on, she knows I was kidding," Ron pleaded.  
  
"You're so thick Ron!" Hermione muttered under her breath, intending for only Ron to hear, but Harry and Ginny didn't miss it.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll meet Colin today," said Ginny. She stood up, and politely excused herself from breakfast, brushing an imaginary thread off of her shorts. She was not going to make a scene out of nothing. She was going to walk away quietly.  
  
I'm not going to draw more attention to myself. I'm not going to draw more attention to myself.  
  
"Ginny, I was kidding," Ron repeated. Ginny smiled weakly at her brother, but hurried up the stairs toward her bedroom to write a hurried note to Colin. She knew spending time with her brother and his friends was too good to be true and wouldn't last. She sighed and opened the door to her room.  
  
~~~~  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione still sat around the kitchen table, though Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley had all left for work already. Hermione kicked Ron again.  
  
"Ow, Hermione! Will you stop!"  
  
"You unbelievable prat! Your sister thinks that we don't want her coming with us now!" she shouted.  
  
"She knows I was joking!" Ron said in his defense.  
  
"Does she, Ron?" Harry asked his voice low with anger.  
  
Ron looked at him in shock.  
  
"Ron, I'm not going with you if you don't apologize to your sister and tell her that we want her to go!" Hermione seethed.  
  
"Me too," Harry added.  
  
Ron looked defeated.  
  
"Fine. When she comes back down," he said, shaking his head.  
  
~~~~  
  
Thanks again to Trouble, because your suggestions were a lifesaver!  
  
PLEASE REVIEW! 


	10. Diagon Alley

Chapter 10: Diagon Alley ~~~~  
  
Ginny sat down at her desk, lighting her wand with a quick incantation. She pushed a vibrant blue strand of hair out of her eyes, before reaching far over in her wobbly chair to retrieve her journal from under her mattress. The chair gave a lurch causing Ginny's stomach dropped.  
  
Maybe if I just stand up to get it. She thought, standing out of her chair, and crouching by her mattress to pull the leather bound book from beneath it. She pulled it out, still kneeling, and ripped a piece of parchment from the pages. She placed the parchment between her teeth, as she stuffed the book back underneath her mattress, her knees cracking slightly as she stood up. She sat back down on her wobbly chair, and spread out the parchment on the smooth wooden surface of her desk. She absentmindedly began to chew on the tip of her quill. Her mind racing over what she wanted to say. She placed her quill on the sheet, and began to write.  
  
Colin,  
  
Hello, Have you gone to Diagon Alley yet? I hope you haven't, and if you have, would you consider going again? I want to see you, I'm going today at 2:30pm, it is now 2:00pm. Please come! Owl me back immediately. I have to go steal Ron's owl now. Hope to hear from you pronto!  
  
-Ginny  
  
She jumped up from her chair, and whispered 'nox.' The light from her wand disappeared, as she walked up the creaking stairs toward Ron's room on the top floor.  
  
Pig was perched on a bar stretching across the center of his cage near the window. He was going mad, his wings beating mercilessly against the metal of his tiny cage. Ginny picked up the owl treats from the windowsill, and placed some in the palm of her hand. She opened the cage door, stepping back quickly as Pig flew out with great energy, nearly taking a chunk out of her face. He fluttered near her head hooting happily.  
  
"Calm down, you stupid git!" Ginny shrieked, groping the thin air, trying to snatch the energetic owl from above her head. She finally caught him in her free hand, so only his feathery head was protruding from the top of her closed fist. She held out the owl treats, which he ate gratefully.  
  
"Ok, I'm going to give you this note and your going to give this to Colin as soon as possible. NO pit stops!" Pig hooted once, and Ginny opened her fist. Pig extended his leg so she could tie the parchment to it. "Go quickly." With that Pig flew out the open window. Ginny watched him disappear in the distance.  
  
When she came back into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron still sitting around the table.  
  
All three teens looked up from their conversation when Ginny came back into the brightly-lit kitchen.  
  
"Why aren't you in Diagon Alley?" Ginny inquired from the doorway.  
  
"We were waiting for you," Harry stated as if it were obvious.  
  
"Right-I was under the impression, that I was to go alone, or find someone else to go with," said Ginny frowning.  
  
"Gin! I was joking!" said Ron, throwing his arms up in defeat.  
  
"We want you to come with us," said Hermione. Harry nodded showing her he wanted her to come.  
  
Ron also nodded, "look Gin I'm sorry if I offended you earlier. It was a joke."  
  
Ginny did a double take, Ron admitting he was wrong! Someone must have put him up to it. Ginny smiled despite herself.  
  
"It's ok, Ron." At that moment Pig came charging into the room. Ron ducked his head as Pig flew right towards it.  
  
"Bleeding Owl!" he shouted.  
  
Pig perched on her shoulder as she pulled off the letter. She flipped it open, and scanned the untidy scrawl.  
  
Gin,  
  
I'd love to meet you there at 2:30, at Zonkos? See you there! Colin  
  
Ginny grinned and looked up at her brother. "I'm meeting Colin anyway."  
  
"Can I come with you and Colin, Gin? I don't think I can manage by myself with these to lovebirds playing hard to get all day." Ron and Hermione blushed crimson, and glared at Harry. Ginny chuckled.  
  
"We do not!" Ron burst, obviously embarrassed beyond words. Harry and Ginny shared a look before smiling knowingly at their two friends who were suffering from denial.  
  
"Well-" Ginny said chuckling slightly, "we better go then." She grabbed the floo powder from above the fireplace.  
  
There was a small fire in the grate, as Ginny pinched a small amount into the flame. The small fire grew, and began to glow emerald green. It licked the side of the brick fireplace, as she stuffed a small black velvet pouch of floo powder in her pocket, so she would have a way to get back, and stepped into the fire. She could see the colorful flames licking her legs, but all she could feel was a comfortable tingling warmness.  
  
"Leaky Cauldron!" She swirled away, in a flash of color and noise, leaving the Burrow. Ginny closed her eyes, as she spun, finally opening them when she began to feel herself slowing down. When she was thrown out of the fireplace, she instantly gathered her bearings. She brushed the soot off of her robes as she looked around.  
  
The Leaky Cauldron was dark and dingy, she didn't like it much, but it was the only way into Diagon Alley. She waved to Tom behind the counter, before she lurched violently forward. It felt like the knight bus had run into her. She was dangerously close to falling face first into the stone cold ground, but she managed to steady herself. Harry, who had stumbled out of the fireplace just behind her, now grabbed onto her shoulders roughly, in an effort to steady himself. It was common knowledge that Harry had bad experiences with Floo powder. He was dangerously close to falling, and bringing Ginny with him, but with her help, Ginny managed to gather Harry's and hers bearing.  
  
"Whoa! Sorry Harry, guess I should have moved," she giggled.  
  
"Acually, I'm glad you were there to break my fall. If you weren't, I would have made an even bigger git of myself," he chuckled. He was silent a moment, before Ginny noticed him tilting his head slightly, looking at her more closely. "I see you're hair's turning back to normal--I must say, I kind of liked blue."  
  
Ginny playfully punched his arm as the flames grew green again. Harry pushed Ginny lightly out of the way when Hermione fell out of the fireplace, landing face down on the dirty stone floor.  
  
"Tough traveling Hermione? Maybe we should have just stayed where we were," Harry grinned, as Ginny finally cracked and burst into hysterical laughter. She hadn't had this much fun in a while, and the sight of Hermione lying face down on the floor was too much for her. Harry soon joined in, and the two teens had to hold on to each other to stay standing. They didn't even see Ron enter and bend help up Hermione. A wave of guilt quieted Ginny somewhat, but it was just too funny to waste. Plus she deserved a laugh, even if it was at Hermione's expense.  
  
"Oh sure! Laugh it up! Your friend makes a fool of herself in public, and you two think it's the funny! Real nice," Hermione said with an air of sarcasm in her voice.  
  
"We're sorry Hermione, but you had to see yourself, it was priceless," Ginny giggled. Fresh tears blurred her vision, and she felt herself grab onto Harry's arm to steady herself.  
  
"I'm kind of sorry I missed that." Ron grinned down at Hermione, who glared steadily back, but couldn't help but crack a smile.  
  
Ginny swiped a hand over her sparkling eyes and grinned.  
  
"Alright, if we're done making fun of Hermione, can we go? I want to go to Flourish and Blots," Hermione stated.  
  
"Who would have guessed?" asked Ron sarcastically.  
  
"I suppose so," said Ginny, shaking her head.  
  
The four teens turned, and waved one final goodbye to Tom before exiting The Leaky Cauldron through the back door.  
  
Ginny linked arms with Harry, not thinking about it, and swung his arm while walking behind Ron and Hermione. When they reached the outside, Harry reached into his robe pocket, and retrieved his wand. He raised it to the brick wall. The wall sprang open, and Diagon Alley was spread out before them.  
  
Hermione immediately began walking in the direction of Flourish and Blots, While the rest stopped and grinned at her retreating back.  
  
"Should we tell her?" mumbled Ron. "Um-Hermione, don't we need to go to Gringotts first? You will need money to buy your books, won't you?" shouted Ron smiling broadly at her.  
  
Hermione twirled on her feet, walking briskly in the direction of Gringotts. Ginny noticed a crimson blush blossoming over Hermione's cheeks. She tried to keep a straight face, but feeling Harry's arm vibrating with silent laughter under hers, it was hard to do.  
  
"Oh just laugh. Don't give yourself a heart attack trying to stop," Hermione said snippily as they caught up with her.  
  
Ginny and Harry promptly burst out laughing.  
  
"We're not laughing with you we're laughing at you," Ginny giggled. "What's wrong Hermione? You're acting really.out of it."  
  
"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione took her place with Ron, and the four teens walked to Gringotts, and gathered up the amount they needed from each vault. When they were done, Hermione made her way toward Flourish and Blots again.  
  
Hermione got her course schedule out and began to read. Ron looked over her shoulder, and read it. His blue eyes grew to the size of saucers.  
  
"Head girl? What? If you're Head Girl, then who's Head Boy? When were you planning on telling us?"  
  
Hermione blushed. "You'd find out eventually, and I felt bad-I thought you- would feel bad that you aren't Head Boy."  
  
Ron's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I wouldn't do that! I didn't even want to be Head Boy! Do you think I would want to follow in Percy's footsteps? Hermione this is great!"  
  
"That's what I thought to."  
  
He stopped and grabbed Hermione in a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"Congratulations Hermione! Somehow, I knew you would get it!" He picked her up, and swung her around. She couldn't help but giggle.  
  
"Put me down you prat," Hermione yelled, pounding her fist into his back.  
  
Harry and Ginny who were momentarily speechless walked up and gave Hermione a hug, when Ron put her back on the ground, messaging his injured shoulder blade.  
  
"Wow, Herms! I knew you'd be Head Girl," Harry said patting his friend on the back.  
  
"OI GIN! OVER HERE!" all four teens whirled around. A blonde boy with strikingly blue eyes was trying to catch up.  
  
"Oh, Hey Colin. I'm so sorry, am I late?" asked Ginny.  
  
"No actually, I'm early. I saw you in the crowd, so I decided to just come and meet up with you."  
  
Ginny smiled at him, before he turned to the other three.  
  
"Hello, Harry, Ron, Hermione?" he said with slight nod in their direction.  
  
"Hello," Hermione said smiling. Ron and Harry nodded. Ron and Harry were still a little distant with Colin because he helped her hide out.  
  
Ginny glared up at Harry and her brother, who continued to watch Colin. Colin on the other hand was acting as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.  
  
"Well I'm gonna hold true to my promise, and go off with Colin. You three have fun." Ron and Hermione nodded. Ginny slid her arm out of Harry's, and she replaced his arm with Colin's.  
  
~~~~  
  
The last thing he wanted was for Ginny to leave the group, he wanted to keep an eye on her, and if true be told he was angry that he couldn't spend more time with her, especially with Ron and Hermione mindlessly flirting all day. It would drive him slowly insane, and now he had no one to share that joy with.  
  
He watched as Ginny laced her arm with Colin and grin up at him, laughing at whatever he was saying. His insides clenched, and he turned away from where they were walking. He didn't dare look back, afraid of what he would see; he just followed Ron and Hermione with his head bent, wishing that they didn't notice how his mood had rapidly changed.  
  
No such luck. Hermione turned around, and stared at Harry. An annoyingly knowing smile plastered on her smug face. Harry decided to ignore it, and follow her to where the books were. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Back to School  
  
~~~~  
  
The next morning Ginny woke up, finding Hermione's bed empty. She rolled over on her back, and stared at the ceiling. She stretched the length of the bed, and smiled to herself. No dreams! Maybe she was free of them for good? It was the second night in a row that she hadn't dreamed, and she was refreshed considerably from the two whole nights of blissfully free dreaming.  
  
She swung her pale legs over the side of her bed, and stood up, stretching on her tiptoes, before making her way to her robe that was hanging on the peg behind her closet. She swung the terry cloth material over her shoulder, and groggily made her way into the hallway. The normal craziness that she was used to on the mornings they went back to Hogwarts was surprisingly absent, so she quickly made her way to the bathroom door in case they were on their way. Knocking loudly against the running water, she waited for a reply.  
  
"In a minute!" a female voice shouted. The water was turned off, and a scurrying could be heard from the other side of the door. Ginny recognized the voice as Hermione's.  
  
The door opened a moment later, admitting a cloud of perfume smelling steam into the hallway.  
  
"All yours," said Hermione brightly. "Got it before the mad rush!"  
  
"Thanks," mumbled Ginny trying to shake off her sleepiness. Hermione grinned at her once more, clutching her towel around her, and moved passed, disappearing in Ginny's room with a soft click as the door closed behind her.  
  
Ginny slowly undressed, and ran her hands through her tangled hair. Her eyes were slightly crossed from sleep as she climbed into the shower. She put it on the highest notch, letting it warm up, and run down her skin, turning it flushed pink. This was her method of waking up every morning. She scrubbed the overnight grime off her body, slowly feeling more awake, as she ran the sweet smelling shampoo through her bright red locks. She rinsed quickly, and turned off the head. She wrung her hair out; a gentle stream of water flowed consistently from her soaking hair to her toes. The bathroom was thick with steam when she finally stepped out, wrapping her white fluffy robe tightly around her slender body. She bent over to gather her pajamas. Her knees cracked slightly as she stood up, and swung the door open. She stepped back startled at seeing Harry standing on the other side, his hand poised over it, ready to knock.  
  
"Oh hello Harry. Late getting up this morning?" she asked, holding her pajamas in her right hand, and her robe closed with her left.  
  
Harry's mouth opened but no sound came out. Finally, he seemed to have found his voice, "yea."  
  
She tilted her head at him with a wide grin. "You're so cute sometimes."  
  
Where did that come from? She thought. I must be feeling extra bold today.  
  
Harry smiled the kind that made her knees weak, and her heart rate quicken.  
  
"Did you have any nightmares last night?" he asked, messing up his hair in that adorable way that he had.  
  
Ginny smiled happily. "Nope, maybe I'm out of the dark!"  
  
"Let's hope so." Harry smiled at her. Ginny grinned back, and turned to walk away.  
  
"Gin, I want to know every time you have a nightmare," he shot quickly, before she reached her bedroom.  
  
Ginny swung around, this time frowning at Harry.  
  
"Harry, why are you making me check in with you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.  
  
Harry blushed to the roots of his hair. "I'm just.worried."  
  
Ginny smiled, and walked back up to Harry. She reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek, a gesture she was so used to doing with her many brothers. "Well, thanks," she whispered, before turning and walking into her bedroom, and shutting the door using her foot.  
  
"Whoa Gin? What's up?" Hermione asked promptly, looking up from the large textbook that was propped open on her knees. Her damp hair was limp around her shoulders, and her brown eyes were staring at her questioningly.  
  
What had she just done? Ginny thought.  
  
Ginny looked up into her friend's eyes. She walked over to her hamper, throwing her pajamas in, then walking over to her wardrobe, and opened it. She chose a simple green shirt, and denim trousers, with a black robe to wear over them.  
  
"Gin?" Hermione tried again, placing a marker in her book.  
  
Ginny turned to her, clothes in hand. "What, huh?" she stammered.  
  
"What happened? You're all red."  
  
Ginny looked at her puzzled, as she placed her clothes on her bed, and pulled on her undergarments, under the towel. "What do you mean what happened? Nothing," she said, pulling on her trousers, and shirt.  
  
"Ok--but you're blushing like mad."  
  
"Nothing happened," she said shrugging and trying her best to look innocent.  
  
Ginny grinned despite herself, and stood in front of her mirror. Her freckles were light, but the more she stayed in the sun, the more noticeable they became. She fingered her damp hair a moment, suddenly frowning.  
  
"Hermione, can I use your Muggle hair drier thing?"  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"Well, we can't use magic over the holidays."  
  
"Gin, you live in the Burrow, magic will go undetected."  
  
"Well, your drier might have a different affect." she drifted off, spritzing some perfume on her pulse points.  
  
She caught Hermione roll her eyes in the mirror, but didn't comment.  
  
"Sure Gin, hold on." Hermione closed the book, setting it aside on her bed, and got up from her position.  
  
She walked to her trunk, and disappeared in the depths. She emerged a moment later carrying what looked like a large Muggle gun.  
  
Ginny gulped. "Is that a-a-drier?"  
  
Hermione grinned, "yes, do you have a circuit, Gin?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"An electrical circuit?"  
  
"Um-er-you mean one of those things with the rectangular holes in it that dad gets all excited over?"  
  
Hermione giggled, "yea."  
  
"Hmm." Ginny opened the top drawer of her dresser and rummaged through it.  
  
"Uh.Gin-it wouldn't be in there."  
  
"It wouldn't? But isn't this it?"  
  
She pulled out just the cover for a circuit.  
  
Hermione laughed, "no. Why don't you just dry it?" She placed the drier back into her trunk, and watched Ginny frown in the mirror.  
  
"I s'pose."  
  
Hermione nodded, and plopped back down on the bed, and picked up her book.  
  
Ginny rose her wand to her head, and muttered the drying incantation. Her hair instantly dried falling full and straight down her back. It lifted her face somehow, making her look more refreshed, and happier, if that was possible. She put on a touch of make up, and pushed away from her dresser, turning to Hermione.  
  
"Ready?"  
  
Hermione placed her marker back on the page, and snapped the book shut, setting it aside again. She stood up, nodding. "Yea, let's go down." She crossed the room in one swift movement, and pulled the bedroom door open. "Coming?"  
  
~~~~  
  
They met with a sleepy, tousle haired Ron half way down the stairs. Ginny pushed passed them, and jumped them down the stairs two at a time, knowing not to interrupt them.  
  
She slid into her usual seat. "Morning Mum."  
  
"Oh Ginny, dear! Thank Goodness you're eating!" Her mother scampered over, plopping two spoonfuls of scrambled eggs onto her plate. "Your favorite."  
  
"Thanks Mum, but I don't think I can eat that much in one sitting," she said, eyeing the eggs with apprehension.  
  
"Nonsense, you need your strength, dear."  
  
"Ok," she sighed, not wanting to argue with her mother when she was in Mother Hen mode. She ducked her head over her plate, and stuffed a mouth full of eggs into her mouth.  
  
She looked up to regard her Mother after moment, swallowing the eggs. "Mum, where are Dad, Percy, and the twins?"  
  
Ron and Hermione had just entered the room smiling and holding hands. She smiled warmly at them, only causing Ron to turned red, and drop Hermione's hand like he'd been scolded. Hermione frowned, but then shrugged in Ginny's direction.  
  
Ginny just smiled, and shook her head in amusement. When will Ron learn that he likes her?  
  
"Fred and George left early to go open the shop, and your father and Percy send their regards, they had to leave early for work this morning."  
  
Ginny opened her mouth to form an 'O' shape, before bending over her plate again. Ron plopped down, rather inharmoniously across from her, and began to dig through his breakfast. Hermione took the seat next to him, tutting in disapproval at his table manners.  
  
There was a movement next to her, and she looked up to see startlingly green eyes smiling down at her.  
  
"Hey, Gin," Harry said, pulling out his chair, and sitting down. He piled pancakes onto his plate, and smothered them in syrup. Ginny inhaled the smell of his soap and sighed. His hair was still damp from his shower, and was sticking up in dark glistening spikes.  
  
"Hello, Harry."  
  
"So, where'd you go yesterday?" he asked trying to sound nonchalant.  
  
Ron grinned in her direction. "Off to snog Colin did you?"  
  
Harry frowned at Ron's choice of words.  
  
Ron suddenly grimaced. Ginny had the impression that Hermione had intentionally kicked his leg. Ginny grinned, and reached over to take a piece of toast from the center of the table. Ron's face turned red, and he looked over at Hermione.  
  
"What?"  
  
"For your information Ronniekins," Ginny started. Ron frowned at the nickname but didn't say anything. "Colin and I went to get ice-cream. Then, he was nice enough to join me to get our school supplies."  
  
Ron just smiled at his sister, probably trying to keep quiet so Hermione wouldn't have reason to kick him again. It infuriated her to see the smug expression on his face, like he knew something that she didn't.  
  
"Eat up dears, you have limited time," Mrs. Weasley said, bustling in from the kitchen with a frying pan. She plopped some eggs on Ron, Harry, and Hermione's plates.  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."  
  
Harry and Hermione smiled up at her, while Ron chugged down his pumpkin juice.  
  
~~~~  
  
Ginny pushed the extremely heavy cart through Kings Cross, and checked the Muggle watch her father had given her for her fifteenth birthday again.  
  
"Mum, we've got to move it! The train leaves in ten minutes!" she whined. There was no way she was going to miss the train.  
  
"Hush Ginny dear, we'll make it," her mother assured her for the fifth time that morning.  
  
The platform came into view behind a crowd of finely dressed Muggles. She sighed heavily in relief. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, caught up, and wheeled their carts next to hers. She slowed down to walk with them.  
  
"Now wait Ginny! You don't want to be seen!" her mother warned.  
  
Ginny glanced at her watch again, there were 10 minutes left. "Mum! I'm going!" She pushed her cart through, disappearing into the wall.  
  
A minute past when Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeared next to her, all pushing their carts.  
  
"Nice Virginia." Ron grinned at his little sister, as she shrugged.  
  
"I won't miss the train, Ronald."  
  
The scarlet steam train gleamed in front of them, issuing a large cloud of smoke, and a loud screeching whistle.  
  
Ginny wheeled her cart along with Ron, Hermione, and Harry over to an empty storage compartment under the steaming train. She shoved her belongings in after Ron's with Harry's help, and followed them over to where Mrs. Weasley was standing.  
  
"I'll see you at the end of the term, good luck, and Hermione, Ron, make sure they stay out of trouble," Mrs. Weasley said gesturing to Ginny and Harry. Ginny rolled her eyes as her mother smiled at all of them, pulling them into a motherly hug.  
  
She pulled Ginny into a hug. "Be good, and if anything's bothering you, feel free to owl."  
  
Ginny nodded against her mother's shoulder. She felt her mother pat her back, and plant a kiss on her head. "And I reckon you can talk to Ron, Hermione, or Harry if something's bothering you. Don't let it get to the point where you want to leave, ok?"  
  
Ginny felt tears prickle her eyes. "I won't Mum," she sniffled.  
  
"I love you, Ginny."  
  
Ginny leaned back, and kissed her mother's cheek. "I love you too, mum, and I'm really sorry."  
  
Mrs. Weasley waved it away, and nudged Ginny toward now slowly moving train. "Goodbye! Owl often!"  
  
Ginny waved one final time before running to catch the train. Harry waited for her by the open door. He gripped her hand, and heaved her up onto the train. Ron and Hermione stood behind him. She turned in the doorway, and waved to her mother who disappeared as they entered the dark tunnel.  
  
Harry released her hand, and slammed the door shut, and turned to find a compartment. Harry pushed through crowds of second and first years, trying to make his way toward the back of the train, where the older kids normally sat. A door to their right opened, and an unwelcome voice stepped out and into his path.  
  
He stopped abruptly, causing Ginny to run right into him, her face smashed between his shoulder blades. She felt him sigh heavily.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Potty, mudblood, and the weasels."  
  
She stepped around, to stand next to Harry. She noticed him glaring at Malfoy, hatred pouring from his usually warm eyes. Ginny felt his arm move slightly, and looked down to witness his hand move to the pocket of his robes, gently fingering the wood of his wand.  
  
Malfoy smirked at Ginny, "I don't believe it, is that a Weasel? Who would have thought? If you weren't a mudblood lover, I might consider you," he said looking her up and down.  
  
"Stuff it Malfoy," she Ginny through grit teeth, feeling her cheeks flame up.  
  
Ron stepped between Ginny and Malfoy and glared at him. "If you wanna say something, say it to me. Leave my sister out of it."  
  
"I don't wanna say anything to her. She's only good for one thing," Malfoy smirked.  
  
Ginny's face flamed up, heat rising from her neck, and seeping slowly up her face in anger and embarrassment.  
  
She saw Harry turn a beet red, and began to pull out his wand, with shaking fingers. Ginny reached to put an arm on his, but he only stepped right next to Ron, pushing Ginny behind him to stand beside Hermione, blocking her from Malfoy's penetrating gaze. He held his wand to Malfoy's throat, who gulped instinctively.  
  
"Harry--" she tried, standing on her tiptoes trying to look over Harry's shoulder. "Ron--"  
  
"Say one more thing. Go ahead--say something, Crabbe and Goyle aren't here to protect you, and you know Ron and I can kick your ass with no problem. So say something, give us some more motivation to break every bone in your miserable body," growled Harry. The scowl on his face alone made him seem suddenly dangerous. He took a step closer to the pale boy, but Ginny placed a restraining hand on his lower back.  
  
Ron watched him out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Harry, let me handle this." Hermione pushed in between the two much taller boys. She pushed Harry's wand down.  
  
"Malfoy, ten points from Slytherin. Now leave before I make it 20," said Hermione, seriously.  
  
With that he sneered evilly at Hermione, trying to show them that she didn't intimidate him, but he however turned, and strutted down the hall, disappearing around a corner.  
  
Harry pocketed his wand, and pushed an ebony lock out of his eyes.  
  
"Thanks," Ginny mumbled.  
  
"Don't mention it," said Harry, turning to address her.  
  
Ron continued looked at him oddly.  
  
"Right, this way," Harry said, turning back down the corridor.  
  
~~~~  
  
Harry could feel Ron's eyes boring into the back of his head, as he, Hermione, and Ginny followed silently behind him down the long, less cramped hallway.  
  
Harry found an empty compartment, and walked in plopping himself down on the cushioned seat by the window. He stretched his legs long wise, and sighed in relief. "I am tired of that prat, he better not come near me this year. I may just do something drastic, and I really don't feel like having a bunch of detentions this year. But I will, oh, it'd be worth it!" he exclaimed. Ron and Hermione took the opposite bench while Ginny stood in the doorway for a minute, chewing on her lip. Harry lifted his feet, and gestured for her to sit down.  
  
"Oi Gin! Come sit with me!" a voice called from down the corridor.  
  
Harry looked at Ginny, her lips twitched into a smile. His stomach beginning to wiggle, and the lump that had formed in his throat dropped roughly into his stomach. Something told him that he didn't want Ginny sitting with Colin, or anyone, but himself. 'What's wrong with me?'  
  
~~~~  
  
Ginny turned her head, and looked down the hall toward the voice, and smiled. She then turned her head in Harry's direction, and her smile faltered at his intense look. Why is he looking at me like that? It's somewhat frightening.  
  
"Is it ok if I go sit with Colin?" she asked quietly, looking specifically at Harry, terrified of the look his was giving her.  
  
"Yea, do whatever you want," Ron said leaning back against the bench opposite Harry, and propping his feet up on the cushion across from him that Harry had intended for Ginny. "I'm not your father."  
  
"Thank Goodness." She smiled one last time, before taking one last look at Harry. Her smile disappeared. Was that hurt in his eyes? She shook her head, clearing the absurd thought.  
  
She gave him and Hermione a small wave, before turning out of their compartment toward Colin's. She tried to ignore Harry's green-eyed gaze boring into her back.  
  
~~~~  
  
Harry frowned. The lump that had formally dropped into his stomach was growing in size, as he watched her leave.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry looked up to see Ron sitting looking at him from the opposite seat. Hermione had already started to read her book.  
  
"You wanna play some exploding snap?"  
  
Harry thought about it. It will keep me busy. "Sure."  
  
And the game of exploding snap began.  
  
~~~~  
  
When Ginny slid Colin's compartment door open, Colin greeted her.  
  
"Hey, Gin."  
  
"Hello, Colin!" She sat down on the left, near the window, and looked at Colin who was staring at her, opposite where she was sitting. "What?" she asked, absentmindedly fixing her hair.  
  
"Did you have any dreams?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Jeez, Colin! I get enough of this from Harry. I don't need it from you too."  
  
"Harry knows then?"  
  
"Yea, he beat it out of me," she admitted, crossing her arms in defeat.  
  
He smiled in response. "I'm glad you told him. What does he say? Does he know what's wrong? Did you have another one?"  
  
"No, Harry doesn't know what it means. He doesn't know everything Colin, and no I haven't had a dream since the last one I told you about in Diagon Alley."  
  
Colin smiled and leaned back in the chair, while Ginny rolled her eyes.  
  
The door swung open lightly, and a round faced boy entered.  
  
Ginny smiled. "Hello Neville! How was your summer?"  
  
Colin nodded to him.  
  
"Hello, it was fine. Have you by any chance seen Trevor?" Trevor was Neville's pet toad, that he had a tendency for losing.  
  
"No sorry," said Ginny, shrugging apologetically.  
  
"Hey Neville, who you talking too?" someone shouted from down the hall. Neville poked his head out of the door.  
  
"Ginny and Colin."  
  
Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan then appeared over Neville's shoulders. Seamus's sparkled mischievously; dulling Dean's amused expression in comparison. They stood tall, not as tall as Harry and Ron's 6'3 and 6'1 heights, but close at 5'8 and 5'9.  
  
"Looking for your toad again, Nev?" Seamus asked, slapping Neville's back as they came up beside him.  
  
"Yea."  
  
"It's the first day!" he said, shaking his sandy colored head.  
  
"I KNOW!" Neville pushed past the two boys, and disappeared. Dean and Seamus walked farther into the room.  
  
"Hey Gin, Colin," Dean said with a small wave.  
  
"Hey, guys!" Ginny said smiling happily.  
  
"Hey, do you know if you brother's trying out for the Quidditch team again?" Dean asked looking at Ginny.  
  
"I have no idea, but I expect so, why?"  
  
"Cause I was thinking of trying out, and I wanted to see who else would possibly be on the team. Are you Colin?"  
  
"Yea, I think so."  
  
Ginny's attention turned to Colin in shock.  
  
"You like Quidditch?" she asked.  
  
"Yea, I love it, I only played once, when I went to my cousin's house, who's a whole wizard, and he loaned me a broom to play on. It was great." He grew pensive, before breaking into an excited grin. "Hey, you think Harry would help me practice?"  
  
Ginny shook her head amused. "Probably, why don't you ask him?"  
  
"You should try out, Gin," Seamus winked.  
  
She grinned, "I don't feel like it this year."  
  
Seamus's face fell into an overly concerned look. "Why not?  
  
Ginny lifted her shoulders in a shrug.  
  
Dean rolled his eyes, and tugged on his robes.  
  
"On a never ending mission to pick up girls," Dean muttered under his breath, "come on Sea, let's leave them alone."  
  
Seamus grinned one last time at Ginny, before following Dean out into the corridor.  
  
"Think about it Gin!" Seamus called, as Dean slid the doors shut.  
  
Ginny turned back to look at Colin.  
  
"That was odd. Wasn't it?" Ginny asked, looking back to where to two boys had been.  
  
Colin just grinned.  
  
"Yea. I'm gonna go get something to munch on, you want anything?" Colin asked, standing up from his position.  
  
"No."  
  
And Colin was gone; Ginny relaxed into the seat, ready for the long train- ride.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Hermione?" Ron called softly.  
  
She didn't look up. "Hmm?"  
  
"Do you want to play some exploding snap?" He waved the deck of cards under her nose in an effort to tempt her away from her book. She swiped it away.  
  
"No not really."  
  
"Please!"  
  
"Play with Harry," she said distractedly.  
  
Ron looked at her with wide disbelieving eyes. "Did you completely miss the conversation over here? He's bored with it and wants to nap. Leaving only you to play with me," he grinned, what he thought was a winning smile at her.  
  
"Rooon! I want to read!"  
  
"One game."  
  
"No."  
  
"Only one?" He gave her puppy dog eyes, which she was ignoring. So, he did the only thing guaranteed to gain her attention; he slammed his hand down on the page of the book, causing her to drop it. Her eyes instantly flew to his. He gave her another of his wounded puppy looks.  
  
She glared for a moment. "Ugh! Ok gosh your persistent!"  
  
Ron grinned. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem," she said emotionlessly, as she snapped her book closed and stuffed it in her carry on bag.  
  
She got down on her knees on the floor of the compartment, and looked up at Ron. "You start."  
  
"Gladly."  
  
A half an hour later, the deck had not exploded yet.  
  
"The one game I want to be over quickly, it takes the whole train ride," Hermione sighed sarcastically.  
  
Ron just grinned, "to keep you occupied tell me something you've never told Harry." The irresistible grin spread across his face.  
  
Hermione sighed, what could it hurt?  
  
"Ok, but you have to promise not to tell him!"  
  
Ron leaned in toward her. "I promise, what is it?"  
  
"When I was 10, and I just started here I had a crush on him. This was all before I became his friend."  
  
Ron's mouth dropped open, as she placed another card on the deck. It didn't explode.  
  
"You liked Harry?" he asked, his eyes the size of dinner plates.  
  
Harry started to stir on the seat.  
  
"Shh! Used to! Key word used too, past tense. It was that whole hero worship thing. I had read about him, and he sounded so amazing," she sighed.  
  
"Whoa, that's--there's no words--" Ron chuckled.  
  
"Yea, your turn."  
  
He gently placed a card next to Hermione's, and instinctively cringed, even though the tower didn't explode.  
  
Hermione yawned loudly, "so what story do you have?"  
  
"Um--actually you might find this interesting. In wizarding preschool, we had to learn about him, and what they thought happened. I figured he wouldn't appreciate knowing that though, so I never told him. You know how he is about that kind of thing; all he wants is to be normal. Though I must say they knew nothing about what really happened, we know more now being his best friends."  
  
Her eyes were wide with wonder.  
  
He cautiously placed the last card on top, and the whole thing exploded, he backed away quickly as to get away from the line of fire, while Hermione laughed at him.  
  
Harry sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Are we almost there?"  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other and began to laugh.  
  
Ten minutes before the train stopped, Hermione forced them to change into their robes. The door slid open, and Seamus and Dean poked their head in.  
  
"Ahh, Ron, Harry, we were looking for you."  
  
They pushed the door open and stepped in.  
  
"Hey, Hermione." Seamus winked at her.  
  
"Hey, Seamus," she said smiling in amusement.  
  
Dean however turned to Ron grinning. "Are you trying out for Quidditch again this year?"  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
"Do you think your sister will?" Seamus interrupted.  
  
Ron pulled a face at him. "I doubt it."  
  
"Do you think you can persuade her to?" Seamus asked with a grin.  
  
Ron gave him an annoyed look, "no."  
  
"Pity, she'd be a great addition to the team," Seamus grinned. "So, is that a definite no?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well I guess it's just as well. She'd be too bit of a distraction for the males of the team." Seamus grinned at the look on Ron and surprisingly Harry's face.  
  
"What do you mean a distraction?" Ron growled.  
  
"Hello, your sister's a fox! A sexy fox that is." Seamus smirked, while Dean snorted and looked determinedly out the window at the passing scenery. "Yep, your little sister's grown to be a full blown hottie!"  
  
"Tra la la la la!" Ron shrieked, pressing his palms to his ears.  
  
Harry gaped at Seamus, with wide, angry eyes.  
  
Hermione bit back a chuckle, and stared fixedly down at her lap.  
  
Seamus grinned and slid the door opened as the train came to a stop. "Oh don't get your knickers in a twist. I wouldn't try anything with your baby sister."  
  
"Good!" Ron growled.  
  
Seamus laughed and turned to address Dean, "you can cut the tension in this room with a knife. These people just don't know how to handle a good jest," Seamus shook his head. "Got poles up their butts, that's what it is."  
  
Dean snorted with laughter.  
  
"So, you don't really like my sister?" Ron asked, removing his hands from his ears.  
  
"Oh, I like her just fine, she is a fox, like a said, but--I would never do that to a friend. Well, unless she wanted it." He ended with a wink at Ron.  
  
Dean stood by the exit to the compartment, trying to usher Seamus out of the room.  
  
Ron glared at him; "you better not."  
  
"Well it's been grand kids, but I'm off to fetch a girl. Oh, that reminds me, Ron can you tell Ginny to meet me in ten minutes? By the front doors?"  
  
Seamus's lower lip twitched, holding back his laughter as Ron and Harry grew bright red.  
  
"WHAT!" shouted Ron.  
  
Seamus looked at Dean highly amused, then back to the three in the compartment, "Jeez! 'Twas a jest! A jest!"  
  
Ron calmed down, but surprisingly, Harry was still bright red.  
  
"Well, we'll see you guys later," Seamus said happily, laughing as he pulled Dean out of the compartment with him, though leaving the door slightly open, so the occupants could hear the conversation as they left.  
  
"You think they're a bit uptight about Ginny?" Seamus asked sarcastically.  
  
Dean shrugged, "wrong move on your part to joke about Ron's little sister. You know how the Weasley's are about her."  
  
Seamus put a hand to his heart looking scandalized. "It was all in good fun! It's not my fault some people lack the sense of humor!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


End file.
